Contest Guidelines
Organized by The Goi Peace Foundation and UNESCO
Endorsed by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan
Japan Broadcasting Corporation, Nikkei Inc.
Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education
Supported by Japan Airlines and Tombow Pencil Co., Ltd.




The United Nations has designated 2001-2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World." Not only should young people benefit from this global movement, but they should be empowered to play a leading role in the creation of a culture of peace. The theme of this year's International Essay Contest is "The role of media and information and communication technologies in building a peaceful world." Young people from around the world are invited to submit their creative ideas on this theme.
* This theme was a central topic discussed at the UNESCO Euro-Mediterranean Youth Forum in Cyprus.

Theme: "The role of media and information and communication technologies in building a peaceful world"-- TV, radio, Internet and other forms of media have great influence in shaping our lives and society. What should be the role of the media and communication technologies in the future. How would you make use of these various tools of communication to help create a better world.




Guidelines: 1. Essays may be submitted by anyone up to 25 years old in one of the following age categories:
a) Children (ages up to 14) b) Youth (ages 15 - 25)

2. Essays must be 800 words or less, typed or printed in English, French, Spanish or German

3. Essays must have a cover page indicating (1) category (Children or Youth) (2) essay title (3) your name (4) address (5) phone number (6) fax number (7) e-mail address (8) nationality (9) age as of June 30, 2007 (10) sex (11) school name and grade (12) word count
Teachers and youth directors may submit a collection of essays from their class or group.
Please enclose a list of participants' names and the name and contact information of the submitting teacher or director.
(Entries missing any of the above information will not be considered.)

4. Entries may be submitted by postal mail or e-mail.

5. Essays must be original and unpublished.

6. Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted.

7. Copyright of the essays entered will be assigned to the sponsors.




Deadline: Entries must be received by June 30, 2007.



Awards: The following awards will be given in the Children’s category and Youth category respectively: 1st Prize: Certificate and prize of 100,000 Yen (approx. US$840)... 1 entrant
2nd Prize: Certificate and prize of 50,000 Yen (approx. US$420) ... 2 entrants
3rd Prize: Certificate and gift ... 5 entrants
Honorable Mention: Certificate and gift ... 25 entrants




* 1st prize winners will be invited to the award ceremony in Tokyo, Japan scheduled for November 2007. (Travel expenses will be covered by the sponsor.)


** All prize winners will be announced in November 2007 on the Goi Peace Foundation web site (www.goipeace.or.jp) and UNESCO web site (www.unesco.org/youth).



Please send your entries to: International Essay Contest c/o The Goi Peace Foundation
1-4-5 Hirakawacho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0093 Japan
E-mail: essay@goipeace.or.jp

Prof. Pat Utomi has for sometime made his intention to lead this country known to all who cared to listen.
He has traveled the lengths and breadth of this country, spreading his gospel of responsible and responsive leadership which he plans to exemplify.

One does not need to have a marble glass to know that the future of Nigeria is assured only if progressives such as Prof. Pat Utomi are handed mandate to lead the nation at all levels of governance.

While I have reservations for his previous silence and conspicuous absence from the political arena all the while, I make bold to ask that all young Nigerians cast their vote for Prof in the coming April polls, now that he has accepted to run.

It is high time we stopped mortgaging our destinies for a day’s porridge.

It is high time we stopped handing the mandate of leadership to those who have perennially failed in all ramifications.

It is high time we faced the future confidently and this we can do only when we have put the right people ahead of us.

I am convinced Prof Pat is the man.
I have heard him speak.
I have read his writings.
I have asked him questions.
He sure is the man.

And you can join in realizing the dream of the new Nigeria, that we shall all be proud of.

You are not patrotric...
Screamed the Inspector General of Police IGP at the site of the explosion incindented on the 26th of December, by people scooping fuel from a vandalised NNPC pipeline in Abule-egba a suburb of Lagos.
His pronouncement was worrisome and I wondered if he knew what patriotism really meant.

Scooping fuel from a bust pipeline is bad in itself, but the act only brings to the fore the deplorable state of the people and the real issue at hand here is not patriotism.

NIGERIANS are poor though NIGERIA is rich.

Many in this country can not afford necessities as basic as a roof over their heads, 3 square meals a day, and clothes on their back….

This people read and hear of the several billions of naira that is squandered by the leadership of the nation.

This impoverished people see those they have entrusted with their destinies rob them of their future in the prime of day.
They watch haplessly as what belongs to them and their children is confiscated by a few others for themselves and their children.
That fateful morning, they saw an opportunity to take back part of what was theirs.

They are hungry people and not necessarily greedy people as they have been made to look, trying to make the best of an opportunity they believed was god sent.

When and if the issue of patriotism arises, people like the Inspector General of Police (in my opinion) do not have moral grounds to blame anybody for he is as guilty of the crime as anybody else. If not, then where are the killers of Eng. Funso Williams and those who murdered the home-boy of Ekiti-Dr. Ayo Daramola.

Why are the men and officers of the NPF who had promised under the leadership of Mr IG to serve with Integrity still demanding N20 bribes from commercial transport operators?
Or is it an act of patrotism to create charges and offences on the spot in a bid to demand some form of settlement from ignorant motorists as done regularly by the men and officers of the NPF corruptly led by Mr. Ehidero.

I honestly think the sad occurrence of the “pipe-line fire” has once again brought to the fore the perennial problem of neglect of the people by the leadership they have so trusted.

The incident has shown clearly that the masses are hungry.

And an hungry man may not be patriotic.
So if Mr. IGP wants Nigerians to be patriotic then he should start with his men. – some example will be good sir.