Call for Entries: Commonwealth Women in Leadership Essay Competition

Deadline: 8 April 2013

Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meetings (WAMMs) have been held triennially since 1985. They have provided strategic opportunities for Ministers, Senior Officials, civil society organisations, and partner agencies to discuss critical issues in advancing women’s empowerment and gender equality. They contribute to Commonwealth and global agenda-setting processes.

The 10th Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers Meeting (10WAMM) will be held in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 17-19 June 2013. The theme of the meeting is “Women’s Leadership for Enterprise”.

The theme highlights the importance and significance of having more women represented in the economy and in decision-making processes, global financial markets, leading banks and national policy making bodies. Given that youth form 60 per cent of the Commonwealth population, bringing them into the decision-making process is vital. We are therefore seeking the perspectives and opinions of the young Commonwealth on the 10WAMM theme.

The Gender Section of the Secretariat is organising the Commonwealth ‘Women in Leadership’ essay competition. This competition is open to all youth in the Commonwealth between the ages of 15 and 29 years.

Young Commonwealth is invited to participate by answering one of the following questions.

• How and why should governments encourage women’s leadership? Or
• How and why should governments encourage women-owned enterprises?

The winner will be sponsored to participate in the 10th Women Affairs Ministers Meeting (10WAMM) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 17 to 19 June 2013.

Download: more information for applicants, essay cover sheet

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: genderessay@commonwealth.int

Website: http://www.thecommonwealth.org

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Entries Now Open: The 2013 Commonwealth Essay Competition (win a trip to UK)

Deadline: 1 May 2013

Are you a writer? Are you interested in the world around you? Do you want your voice to be heard by others? If so, the Commonwealth Essay Competition is definitely for you. We encourage you to be creative in your response to our topics. You can submit a poem, letter, article, story, essay or even a short play. The choice is yours. Just get writing!

Every year, the Commonwealth Essay Competition inspires thousands of young writers from all over the world. Run by the Royal Commonwealth Society since 1883, it is the world's oldest and largest schools' international writing competition. Past winners include Mr Lee Hsien Loong, the Prime Minister of Singapore and Elspeth Huxley.

The competition is free to enter and in 2012 over 1,000 young writers, from 245 schools, in 38 countries across the Commonwealth received an award for their entry.

For 2013, we're delighted to announce that the Competition will be run in partnership with Cambridge University Press, whose support will enable us to engage even more young writers across the Commonwealth.

The Competition celebrates and nurtures the creative talents of young people across the Commonwealth, providing a platform for students to compete with their peers in each of the 54 nations which make up this unique association. Entrants are judged in two age groups, Junior (under 14 years) and Senior (14-18 years).

The closing date is 1st May 2013 and results will be announced in the autumn of next year, when a Junior and Senior Prize Winner and Runner Up will be announced and our judges will make a number of Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards.

PRIZES:

• Win a certificate
• Win resources for your school
• Be flown to London
• Be invited to meet famous authors; take part in workshops to learn news skills; and do work experience at international organisations
• See your entry featured in RCS publications and worldwide media

TOPICS:

Junior Category (Born after 1st May 1999)

• When has hard work paid off for you?
• Creative thinking saved the day.
• Tell us about a moment of opportunity which changed the life of your family, community,
• country, continent or the entire planet. 
• Is change a good thing?
• Opportunities galore!

Senior Category (Born between 2nd May 1994 and 1st May 1999)

• A funding agency has asked you to make a pitch for an idea involving schools that would benefit your community.
• “I knew this was my moment.”
• Discuss one or more examples of social and/or environmental development where enterprise
• plays, or could play, a key role in changing the way people live.
• “How enterprising!” a voice said as I closed the door behind me.
• Are we too risk-conscious these days?

Junior and Senior (A bonus topic open to all entrants)

• To boldly go ...”

RULES:

• The Competition is open to nationals or residents of all Commonwealth countries and territories.
• Special dispensation applies to entrants from Hong Kong, Fiji and Zimbabwe who are entitled to enter the Competition.
• Entrants must select a Senior or Junior topic depending on how old they are on 1st May 2013.
• Entries must be written in English and be the original work of the writer.
• Entrants must submit an entry form alongside their entries and complete all the mandatory fi elds.
• The maximum word-counts are 1500 words for Senior entries and 750 words for Junior entries.
• Entries will be disqualifi ed if they fail to meet these requirements.

*As Hong Kong is a former British Overseas Territory residents and/or nationals of Hong Kong are eligible to enter. Fiji is currently suspended from the Commonwealth but nationals and/or residents are still eligible to enter. Although Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003 residents and/or nationals are still eligible to enter.

HOW TO ENTER

Via the internet: Entries can be submitted online in 2013 at www.thercs.org/youth/competitions. Please read all the information and follow the instructions carefully. It is essential that entrants fi ll in the mandatory fi elds in the online entry form.

By Post: Please complete your entry form in block capitals and attach it to the front
of your essay. Send entries…

• Directy to us: Fao Young Commonwealth Competitions, The Royal Commonwealth Society, 25 Northumberland Avenue, London, Wc2N 5Ap Uk
• Americas/Caribbean: Fao Young Commonwealth Comeptitions, The British Council, 19 St. Clair Avenue, St. Clair, Port Of Spain, Trinidad And Tobago
• Africa: Fao Young Commonwealth Comeptitions, Baobab College, Po Box 350099, Chilanga, Zambia OR Fao Young Commonwealth Competitions, The British High Commission, Po Box 296, Accra, Ghana

Download: entry form (for submissions by post)

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: competitions@thercs.org

For submissions: via the online submission website

Website: http://www.thercs.org/

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Entries for the 2013 Commonwealth Short Story Prize Open this October (£5,000 top prize | Commonwealth nations)

Entries for the 2013 Commonwealth Short Story Prize will open on 24 October 2012. The eligible African countries are Botswana, Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia. Overseas Territories: St Helena, Tristan Da Cunha, and Ascension Island.

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction (2000 – 5000 words). Submissions must be made by the author of the short story. Regional winners receive £1,000 and the overall winner receives £5,000. Please read these eligibility and entry rules carefully before beginning the online entry process.

ABOUT THE PRIZE:

• The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is an annual award for unpublished short fiction administered and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation
• The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is part of Commonwealth Writers, a pan-Commonwealth initiative which unearths and develops new writers.
• The prize covers the Commonwealth regions of 1. Africa, 2. Asia, 3. Canada and Europe, 4. Caribbean and 5. Pacific. (see Section 4 for countries in each region)
• There will be five winners, one from each region. The overall winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize will receive £5,000 and the remaining four regional winners £1,000.
• The final selection will be judged by an international judging panel; experienced readers will assist the named judges in selecting the long lists.
• Worldwide copyright of each story remains with the writer. The Commonwealth Foundation will have the unrestricted right to publish the winning stories (the overall winning story and the four regional winning stories) in the annual anthology and for promotional stories.
• The overall and regional winners will be expected to take part in publicity activities including social media where possible
• The overall winner (and regional winners) will be expected to undertake a mutually acceptable programme of
• regional outreach activities to develop and promote Commonwealth Writers.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Entrants must be citizens of a Commonwealth country.
• Entrants must be aged 18 years or over.
• Entries will only be accepted via the online entry forms
• Writers from non-Commonwealth countries (including the Republic of Ireland and Zimbabwe) are not eligible.
• There is no requirement for the writer to have current residence in a Commonwealth country, providing she/he is a citizen of a Commonwealth country.
• The prize is for living writers.
• The entry must be written in English (Works translated from other languages are not eligible).
• All entries will be accepted at the discretion of the Commonwealth Foundation who will exercise its judgement, in consultation with the Prize Chair as necessary, in ruling on questions of eligibility. The ruling of the Chair on questions of eligibility is final, and no further correspondence will be entered into.

ENTRY RULES:

• Entries must be made by the writer
• For regional purposes, entries will be judged by country of citizenship. Where the writer has dual citizenship, the entry will be judged in the region where the writer is permanently resident.
• One entry per writer.
• The story must be the entrant’s own work.
• The story must be original and should not have been previously published anywhere in full or in part. Published work is taken to mean published in any printed, publicly accessible form, e.g. anthology, magazine, newspaper. It is also taken to mean published online, with the exception of personal blogs and personal websites.
• All entries must be written in English.
• Entries must be 2,000 words minimum, 5,000 words maximum.
• Entries must be uploaded in a PDF or word document (or equivalent). All entries must be submitted in Ariel 12 point font and double line spacing. The first page should include the name of the story and the number of words.
• The author’s details should be included in the entry form, they must not be given anywhere on the uploaded document;
• There are no theme or genre restrictions
• The story should be adult fiction and must not have been written for children alone
• Entrants agree as a condition of entry that the prize organisers may publicise the fact that a story has been entered or shortlisted for the Prize.
• Entries will not be returned.
• For any other entry or eligibility queries please  for clarification before submitting an entry.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: writers@commonwealth.int

For submissions: via the online submission page

Website: http://www.commonwealthwriters.org

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Free to Enter: The £1,000 Tom-Gallon Trust Award for Short Story (Commonwealth)

Deadline: 31 October 2012

A biennial award of £1,000, financed by a bequest made by Miss Nellie Tom-Gallon in memory of her brother. The award must be made to a writer of fiction who has had at least one short story accepted for publication, and who has serious writing ambitions.

The submitted story should be traditional, rather than experimental, in character, and the financial circumstances of the writer should be taken into account.

The next deadline for entries is 31st October 2012 (for award in June 2013).

CRITERIA FOR ENTRY

(i) The author must be a citizen of the United Kingdom, Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland.

(ii) The author must have had at least one short story published or accepted for publication.

(iii) The story submitted must be in English and must not be a translation.

(iv) The story submitted may be published or unpublished.

HOW TO ENTER

Please complete the form and submit it with:

• One (and only one) short story (maximum length 5,000 words), published or unpublished and typed in double line spacing, with your name stated on the first page;
• A list of your previously published work including the publisher and date of publication;
• If you would like an acknowledgement, the return of your story, and/or to be notified of the winner please provide stamped addressed envelopes.

Please note that entries submitted by fax or email will not be accepted.

Download: entry form

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: info@societyofauthors.org

For submissions: send to Paula Johnson, Awards Secretary, Society of Authors, 84 Drayton Gardens, London SW10 9SB

Website: http://www.societyofauthors.org

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Call for Papers: Children’s Literature from the Commonwealth of Nations

Deadline: 15 May 2012

Submissions are invited for a Special Issue of Bookbird in conjunction with the Commonwealth Education Trust (CET). The CET has promoted education, literacy and literature throughout the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations for 125 years. Their work has much in common with IBBY. Papers are invited on the literatures of Commonwealth countries, as well as on literacy education, the development of the imagination and critical thinking through reading, and other practical uses of literature. Papers of 4000 words are invited on, but not limited to, the following topics:

· National identity in literature for children and teens

· Literacy programmes which incorporate children’s literature

· Thematic developments in national literatures

· Indigenous and diasporic literatures for children

· Multilingual children’s literature

· The impact of colonization and/or Empire on national literatures for children

· The oral tradition and/or literary retellings

· Trends in illustration techniques

· Prizes for children’s literature

· Non-fiction publishing for children and teens

Titles and abstracts of 250 words should be sent to the editor by 15th May 2012 - Roxanne Harde rharde@ualberta.ca

The full papers will be expected by 30th June 2012. Please see Bookbird’s website at www.ibby.org/bookbird for full submission details.

In addition, short reviews of recently published children’s literature (c.a. 300 words) or of research on children’s literature (c.a. 750 words) are warmly welcomed.

Papers which are not accepted for this issue will be considered for later issues of Bookbird.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/submissions: contact Roxanne Harde at rharde@ualberta.ca

Website: www.ibby.org/bookbird

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Deadline May 15 | Call for Contributions - Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature (Commonwealth nations)

Deadline: 15 May 2012

We invite submissions for a Special Issue of Bookbird in conjunction with the Commonwealth Education Trust (CET). The CET has promoted education, literacy and literature throughout the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations for 125 years. Their work has much in common with IBBY. Papers are invited on the literatures of Commonwealth countries, as well as on literacy education, the development of the imagination and critical thinking through reading, and other practical uses of literature. Papers of 4000 words are invited on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• National identity in literature for children and teens
• Literacy programmes which incorporate children’s literature
• Thematic developments in national literatures
• Indigenous and diasporic literatures for children
• Multilingual children’s literature
• The impact of colonization and/or Empire on national literatures for children
• The oral tradition and/or literary retellings
• Trends in illustration techniques
• Prizes for children’s literature
• Non-fiction publishing for children and teens

Titles and abstracts of 250 words should be sent to both editors by 15th May 2012: Roxanne Harde rharde@augustana.ca and Lydia Kokkola lydia.kokkola@utu.fi

The full papers will be expected by 30th June 2012. Please see Bookbird’s website at www.ibby.org/bookbird for full submission details.

In addition, short reviews of recently published children’s literature (c.a. 300 words) or of research on children’s literature (c.a. 750 words) are warmly welcomed.

Papers which are not accepted for this issue will be considered for later issues of Bookbird.

Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature (ISSN 0006 7377) is a refereed journal published quarterly by IBBY

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: Harde rharde@augustana.ca or Lydia Kokkola lydia.kokkola@utu.fi

For submissions: titles and abstracts of 250 words should be sent to both editors by 15th May 2012: Roxanne Harde rharde@augustana.ca and Lydia Kokkola lydia.kokkola@utu.fi

Website: http://www.ibby.org/bookbird

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Call for Contributions - Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature (Commonwealth nations)

Deadline: 15 May 2012

We invite submissions for a Special Issue of Bookbird in conjunction with the Commonwealth Education Trust (CET). The CET has promoted education, literacy and literature throughout the member states of the Commonwealth of Nations for 125 years. Their work has much in common with IBBY. Papers are invited on the literatures of Commonwealth countries, as well as on literacy education, the development of the imagination and critical thinking through reading, and other practical uses of literature. Papers of 4000 words are invited on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• National identity in literature for children and teens
• Literacy programmes which incorporate children’s literature
• Thematic developments in national literatures
• Indigenous and diasporic literatures for children
• Multilingual children’s literature
• The impact of colonization and/or Empire on national literatures for children
• The oral tradition and/or literary retellings
• Trends in illustration techniques
• Prizes for children’s literature
• Non-fiction publishing for children and teens

Titles and abstracts of 250 words should be sent to both editors by 15th May 2012: Roxanne Harde rharde@augustana.ca and Lydia Kokkola lydia.kokkola@utu.fi

The full papers will be expected by 30th June 2012. Please see Bookbird’s website at www.ibby.org/bookbird for full submission details.

In addition, short reviews of recently published children’s literature (c.a. 300 words) or of research on children’s literature (c.a. 750 words) are warmly welcomed.

Papers which are not accepted for this issue will be considered for later issues of Bookbird.

Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature (ISSN 0006 7377) is a refereed journal published quarterly by IBBY

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: Harde rharde@augustana.ca or Lydia Kokkola lydia.kokkola@utu.fi

For submissions: titles and abstracts of 250 words should be sent to both editors by 15th May 2012: Roxanne Harde rharde@augustana.ca and Lydia Kokkola lydia.kokkola@utu.fi

Website: http://www.ibby.org/bookbird

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Commonwealth Essay Competition 2012 (worldwide)

Deadline: 1 May 2012

The Royal Commonwealth Society’s annual Young Commonwealth Competitions encourage young people to use writing, film and photography to respond creatively to global challenges.

2012 marks the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her 60th year as Head of the Commonwealth. To celebrate this very special occasion, for one year only, all entries into our Young Commonwealth Competitions will become part of the world’s biggest history project, the Commonwealth Jubilee Time Capsule. Take part in our competitions in 2012 and your entry will join 22,000 others – one for each day that Her Majesty has been Head of the Commonwealth – in the Capsule. Your memories - the untold stories of millions of ordinary and extraordinary lives - are the story of the modern Commonwealth.

YOUNG COMMONWEALTH COMPETITIONS

In 2012, all our competitions will be based on the Commonwealth theme, ‘Connecting Cultures’. All entries must relate to a single day in the last 60 years since Her Majesty ascended to the throne on 6th February 1952. All entries must be your own original work. Every year, over 50,000 young people take part in this prestigious awards scheme. Our Young Commonwealth Competitions come with some great prizes, and in 2012 you’ll be eligible for Jubilee Time Capsule prizes too!

DEADLINE for all competitions: 1ST MAY 2012

Run by the RCS since 1883, this is the world’s oldest and largest schools’ writing competition. To enter, you must be aged 18 or under on 1st May 2012. You must also be a national of, or living in, a Commonwealth country. On the first page of your entry, please write your name, age, topic number and the date you have chosen to write about.

How do I enter? To enter the essay competition, you must pick a day between 6th February 1952 and the present. Then, using one of the topics in the grey box as your inspiration, tell us about what happened on that day. You might like to think about why that day was important to you, your family, or your community. The event must not be fictional, but we encourage you to be creative in the way you share the story.

COMMONWEALTH ESSAY COMPETITION

Pick a day From 6th February 1952 to the present.

Then, using one of the topics below, tell us about what happened!

1. The day I wore my best clothes.
2. A feast or a festival.
3. An interview with an adult about a significant day in their life.
4. A day's journey.
5. A birth OR a wedding OR a funeral.
6. My response to an event that made the news headlines.
7. A sporting event.
8. The day I met my hero/heroine.

How long should my essay be? If you are aged between 14 and 18 on 1st May 2012, please write between 1,200 and 1,750 words. If you are aged under 14 on 1st May 2012, please write between 300 and 700 words.

PRIZES

Thousands of young people from around the world enter every year, but the winners are often those picking up a camera or putting pen to paper for the first time. What we look for is a creative spark, a unique insight or a bold idea.

In 2012, all essays, photos and films will be entered into the Jubilee Time Capsule. For one year only, your chance of winning a prize is doubled!

By entering the Young Commonwealth Competitions, you could:

• See your Jubilee Time Capsule entry presented to Her Majesty the Queen in 2012.
• Win a certificate, cash or photographic equipment.
• Win resources for your school.
• Be flown to London.
• Be invited to meet famous authors, film directors and photographers; take part in expert workshops to learn new skills; and do work experience at international organisations.
• See your entry exhibited around the Commonwealth and featured in worldwide media.

HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR ENTRIES

Online: Please upload your entries to www.thercs.org/youth/competitions

By post: Each postal entry must be accompanied by an entry form

Directly to us: FAO Young Commonwealth Competitions, 25 Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5AP, UK

Americas/Caribbean: FAO Young Commonwealth Competitions, The British Council, 19 St. Clair Avenue, St. Clair, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Africa: FAO Young Commonwealth Competitions, Baobab College, PO Box 350099, Chilanga, Zambia. OR, FAO Young Commonwealth Competitions, The British High Commission, P.O Box 296, Accra, Ghana

Asia: FAO Young Commonwealth Competitions, The British High Commission, 185 Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Pacific: FAO Young Commonwealth Competitions, The British High, Commission, PO Box 1812, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: youth@thercs.org

For submissions: click here

Website: http://www.thercs.org/

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Winners of the 2011 Regional Commonwealth Writers' Prize Announced

Announcement of overall winners: 21 May 2011

The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, internationally recognised for promoting ground-breaking works of fiction from across the globe, has announced an eclectic mix of writers from the four regions of the Commonwealth who will be heading to the final stages of the competition at Sydney Writers’ Festival in May.

The regional prize winners are:

Africa:

• Best Book: The Memory of Love by Aminatta Forna (Sierra Leone)
• Best First Book: Happiness is a four-letter word by Cynthia Jele (South Africa)

Caribbean and Canada:

• Best Book: Room by Emma Donoghue (Canada)
• Best First Book: Bird Eat Bird by Katrina Best (Canada)

South Asia and Europe:

• Best Book: The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell (UK)
• Best First Book: Sabra Zoo by Mischa Hiller (UK)

South East Asia and Pacific:

• Best Book: That Deadman Dance by Kim Scott (Australia)
• Best First Book: A Man Melting by Craig Cliff (New Zealand)

The final programme of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize will bring together the regional winners from Africa, Caribbean and Canada, South Asia and Europe, and South East Asia and Pacific, at Sydney Writers’ Festival (16-22 May). The overall winners of Best Book and Best First Book will be announced on 21 May.

More information here.

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Full Rules: 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition

Deadline: 1 March 2011

The Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an annual scheme to promote new creative writing for radio, funded and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

Established in 1996, the competition aims to increase understanding and appreciation of Commonwealth cultures and promote rising literary talents. The competition calls for entries that are original, unpublished, in English, no more than 600 words in length and on any subject.

The winner receives a prize of £2000 and there are four regional prizes of £500.

In 2011 there will also be two special prizes of £500 each; one for the best short story for children and the other for the best short story about this year’s Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’.

The 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition is open for entry via this website from 15 January to 1 March 2011.

Deadline: 1 March 2011

Entering the Commonwealth Short Story Competition is a four-step process.

1) Read the eligibility and entry rules

All Commonwealth citizens aged 19 or over are invited to enter the 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition. See below.

2) Write your short story

Click here if you would like to learn more about writing a short story for radio.

3) Complete the online entry form

Entries will only be accepted via the online entry form. If you have problems entering your story online, click here to get in touch with us.

4) Receive a confirmation email

When you have completed the entry form, you will receive an email confirming that your entry has been received and providing a reference number. This number should be quoted in any correspondence with the Commonwealth Foundation.

Eligibility and entry guidelines

About the scheme

The Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an annual scheme to promote new creative writing for radio, funded and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association. Entries will be judged in the five Commonwealth regions by authors, broadcasters, academics and former Commonwealth Short Story prize-winners. We will award an overall prize of £2,000 and four regional prizes of £500. Additionally, there will be two special prizes of £500 each; one for the best short story for children and the other for the best story about this year’s Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’. A further 19 highly commended entries will receive a payment of £100. All winning and highly commended entries will be included on the 2011 winners’ CD.

Timetable

The deadline for receipt of entries is 1 March 2011. Judging will take place between March and May 2011. All winning entrants will be notified by 31 May 2011. The results of the Competition will be announced in September 2011. The 2011 Commonwealth Short Stories CD will be published in September 2011.

Eligibility

• Entrants must be citizens of a Commonwealth country.

For a list of Commonwealth countries, visit: http://www.commonwealthfoundation.com/Aboutus/TheCommonwealth/Commonwealthcountries
• Entrants must be aged 19 years or over.

Terms and conditions of entry

• Only one story will be accepted per entrant. Should an entrant submit more than one story, the competition administrators will only accept the first entry.
•Stories should be entered in one of the three categories: General Entry, Short Story for Children or a story on the 2011 Commonwealth theme, ’Women as Agents of Change’. All stories will be considered for the overall and regional prizes.
• The story must be the entrant’s own work.
• The story must be original and should not have been previously published anywhere in full or in part.
• All entries must be in English.
• Entries should be 600 words or less.
• Entries will only be accepted via the online entry form.
• The deadline for receipt of entries is 1 March 2011.
• The competition administrators reserve the right to disqualify any competition entry which does not meet the conditions. No correspondence will be entered into in this regard.
• Entries will not be returned.
• The names of the winners will be published in the magazines and websites of the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and the Commonwealth Foundation.
• Winners will retain the copyright but assign broadcasting rights (including audio on demand and sale on audio media), publication rights and rights to use the stories for press and promotional purposes, including via the internet, for ten years to the programme partners (Commonwealth Broadcasting Association and its members, and the Commonwealth Foundation). These rights are non-exclusive.
• Winning and highly commended entries will be included on the 2011 winners’ CD (published in September 2011) and may be mentioned in any associated publicity materials or press releases.

Submit here.

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The 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition Opens January 15, 2011

Deadline: 1 March 2011

The Commonwealth Short Story Competition is an annual scheme to promote new creative writing for radio, funded and administered by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association.

Entry is open to all Commonwealth citizens aged 19 and over to send in original, unpublished short stories for radio.

The 2011 Commonwealth Short Story Competition will open for entry via the online entry form from 15 January to 1 March 2011. Entries should be original, unpublished, in English and no more than 600 words in length. Entries can be on any subject, but there will be a special award for entries relating to the 2011 Commonwealth theme, ‘Women as Agents of Change’ and a special award for a short story for children.

We are interested in using the winning stories more widely and promoting literacy around the Commonwealth. We are actively seeking partners to enable the competition to grow - please contact us if you are interested in supporting any aspect of the competition.

More information here.

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Non-Writing: Commonwealth Connections International Arts Residencies (awards up to £8,000)

Deadline: 30 November 2010

Seven winning applicants will receive awards of up to £8,000 to develop their art in another Commonwealth country.

Applying for Commonwealth Connections is a four-step process

1) Read the eligibility and entry rules. Visual artists, dancers and choreographers who are Commonwealth citizens are invited to apply for the 2011 Commonwealth Connections international arts residencies. The residencies must be taken in another Commonwealth country. Click here to read the full rules.

2) Research potential residency opportunities and prepare supporting visual material. See eligibility and entry rules for guidance.

3) Complete the online application form. Applications will only be accepted via the online application form. If you have problems entering your application online, click here to get in touch with us.

4) Receive a confirmation email. When you have completed the application form, you will receive an email confirming that your application has been received and providing a reference number. This number should be quoted in any correspondence with the Commonwealth Foundation.

Apply online

>> online application form

>> eligibility and entry rules

If you have any queries, you may find the answer in our FAQ section.

For further help with your application, please get in touch via the contact form.

Key dates

Application deadline: 30 Nov 2010

Judging: Nov 2010 to Apr 2011

Winners announced: 3 May 2011

More information here.

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Apply for 2011 Commonwealth Scholarships

Deadline: Varies

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) is responsible for managing Britain’s contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), established in 1959, and supports around 700 awards annually.

If you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country other than the UK, seeking information about UK scholarships and fellowships, the Commission currently offers the following awards:

* Scholarships to study for postgraduate qualifications at UK Universities

* Scholarships to study for undergraduate qualifications at UK Universities

* Scholarships to study for UK Masters' degrees by distance learning

* Fellowships for mid-career academics to spend time in UK academic institutions

* Fellowships for mid-career professional staff other than academics to spend time at a Host organisation in the UK

If you are a citizen of the UK, seeking information about scholarships in other Commonwealth countries, please visit their outward awards page.

If you are a Commonwealth citizen seeking information about scholarships in Commonwealth countries other than the UK, please revert back to the international CSFP site.

More information here.

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Commonwealth Writers’ Prize 2011 Now Open for Entries

Deadline: 15 November 2010

For the fifth consecutive year the prize will be supported by the Macquarie Group Foundation.

As the 2011 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize opens for entry, the Commonwealth Foundation is pleased to announce that the prize will continue to be supported by the Macquarie Group Foundation. For the fifth consecutive year, Macquarie is proud to help advance one of the most prestigious literary prizes in the world.

Commonwealth Foundation Director Dr Mark Collins said, "The Macquarie Group Foundation (MGF) has supported the Commonwealth Writers' Prize each year since 2007, and we're thrilled that it has committed to the 2011 competition as well. At a time when much financial support for the arts is under threat, it is heartening to see MGF continue to promote cultural understanding, freedom of expression and the rise of new literary talent."

David Clarke, Chair of the Macquarie Group Foundation said:

“The Macquarie Group Foundation is proud to have been a supporter of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize since 2007. During this time the prize has grown to reach more people around the world, encouraging wider reading across a range of Commonwealth cultures, bringing compelling stories of human experience to greater attention and rewarding the rising talent that other prizes often overlook.”

2011 is the 25th Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and it continues to attract new and extremely talented writers. The Prize offers awards for best book and best first book in four regions: Africa; the Caribbean and Canada; South Asia and Europe; and South-East Asia and the Pacific. The eight winners from these regions will be announced in March 2011, and then go through to the final round, where the overall best book and best first book winner will be announced in May 2011.

The prize is open to fiction written by authors from Commonwealth countries published in 2010. Publishers can submit their entries now - go to www.commonwealthfoundation.com/cwp for all entry and eligibility guidance and an online entry form.

The deadline for entries is 15 November 2010.

Notes

1. Timeline:

· 30 September - Prize opens for entries

· 15 November - Deadline for entries

· 31 December - Deadline for books published in November and December 2010 only

· Week of 7 February - Regional shortlists announced

· Week of 7 March - Regional winners announced

· Week of 16 May - Overall winners announced

2. The Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, established in 1987, is organised and funded by the Commonwealth Foundation with the support of the Macquarie Group Foundation. The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental body working to help civil society organisations promote democracy, development and cultural understanding in Commonwealth countries.

3. The Macquarie Group Foundation is one of Australia’s leading philanthropic foundations and, together with Macquarie staff, has donated more than $A120 million to thousands of community organisations worldwide. It is the philanthropic arm of Macquarie Group Limited which is a global provider of banking, financial, advisory, investment and fund management services.

4. Publisher enquiries – contact cwp@commonwealth.int

More information here.

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