“Refugees and Their Message to Europe”: The Poetry Challenge
Thinking outside of the paragraph, the Universal Human Rights Student Network has announced their very first poetry contest, with the theme “Refugees and Their Message to Europe.” Submissions are accepted through November 20, and the contest is open to everyone, with students, migrants and refugees particularly encouraged to participate. According to the UHRSN website:
“UHRSN is convinced that all people should have the right to a life lived with dignity free from fear, persecution and oppression. As widely reported, people in search of this life seeking asylum in European countries are in many instances denied just that – their fundamental rights. UHRSN also aims to utilize the power of poetry and the positive impact words can have to raise awareness for an issue that cannot be ignored. In this sense the poetry competition was established to provide refugees, migrants, students, sympathisers, etc. with an avenue
- to create thought-provoking poems by reflecting on their experiences, wishes, dreams and hopes
- to raise awareness amongst stakeholders, politicians, ordinary EU citizens, etc. on the fate of refugees in- and outside of Europe
- to demonstrate that #refugees are welcome and advocate for their rights
- to be creative
Ultimately, the goal of this poetry award is for participants to express themselves by sharing their message with Europe, subsequently, urging leaders and citizens alike to take action and ensure that the human rights of refugees and asylum-seekers are upheld and that conducive conditions for legal entry procedures for people in need of international protection are established.”
More information is available here.
For those under age 18, there is another human rights poetry challenge, sponsored by Youth for Human Rights. The theme is “What are Human Rights?” and the submission deadline is December 1. More information is available here.