Empowering Youth Voices | 2022 World Citizen Essay Contest

March 20th, 2022 12:00AM

From natural disasters and climate change to conflict and lack of resources, men, women, and children worldwide have been forced to flee from their homes and countries in search of safety, resources, and economic opportunity. According to the United Nations (UN), the number of refugees around the world has doubled over the past 10 years, and at the end of 2020, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated a total of 82.4 million displaced persons globally. In 2021, we continued to see an increase in the number of displaced persons across the globe with countries including Lebanon, Syria, Haiti, Afghanistan, Venezuela, and more experiencing climate-, natural-, and human-made disasters.

2022 World Citizen Essay Contest Prompt:

In an essay of 1000 thousand words or less, choose a specific context to describe the origins or causes of a crisis that resulted in a mass displacement of peoples. Discuss the initial and long term impacts of the crisis and what you would recommend as a course of action to address them. Feel free to use contemporary or historical examples to explain when/how specific strategies have or have not worked. Additionally, displaced persons face many challenges throughout the resettlement process (i.e. language and cultural barriers, access to resources and economic opportunities, discrimination, etc.). Describe how you would welcome displaced persons into your own community and how you would support individuals and/or families in adjusting and prospering in a new environment.

2022 World Citizen Essay Contest Winners:

Grades 3-5

Grades 6-8

Grades 9-12

First Place

Brooks Johnson

Bryant Elementary School

"Why Don't We Know about Myanmar?"

Siyana Jiwani

Issaquah Middle School

"Don't Forget They're People Too"

Nathaniel Davis