2023 International Essay Contest for Young People
Results and 1st-3rd prize winning essays

Theme:“Youth Creating a Peaceful Future”

The Goi Peace Foundation
www.goipeace.or.jp
October 31st, 2023

Congratulatory message for the 2023 International Essay Contest for Young People

I sincerely congratulate the Goi Peace Foundation on the success of the 2023
International Essay Contest for Young People.

I would like to express my profound respect and wholehearted gratitude for the great
efforts and dedication of everyone who has helped to promote world peace and create
sustainable societies and communities through diverse activities.

I learned that this year’s contest received some 20,000 entries on the theme of “YouthCreating a Peaceful Future,” from children and youth in 168 countries around the world.

My congratulations go to the two first prize winners, who have both received theMinister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Award, and to all theother prize winners.

For today’s young people, who face an uncertain and unpredictable future, I believe it isimportant to continue refining their own values, by being exposed to diverse
perspectives and deepening their sense of mutual understanding and respect.

I am aware that the International Essay Contest for Young People receives many
wonderful essays each year. Through this initiative, I sincerely hope that young people
from all over the world, who are tomorrow’s leaders, can meet and interact with one
another, helping to bring about world peace and the creation of sustainable societies andcommunities.
October 31st, 2023

FUJIWARA Akio
Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan2023 International Essay Contest for Young People
List of Winners
Theme: “ Youth Creating a Peaceful Future ”
No. of participating countries: 168
No. of entries: 20,674 (Children’s category: 6,922 / Youth category: 13,752)*All ages are as of June 15, 2023.

1st Prize
Children's category (1 entrant)Youth category (1 entrant)

NO HORRORSChimamanda Kaitlyn Uzoechi

The Power of Dreams
Michiho Shimazaki(Age 17, Japan)(Age 8, Nigeria)

2nd Prize
Children's category (3 entrants)
Youth category (3 entrants)

Seeing Things from the Other Point of View

Ayumi Kuroiwa (Age 13, Japan)

Feyisola Maria Bolarinwa

WE ARE COLOUR PALETTES(Age 17, Nigeria)

Anelis Kristel Huarhuachi Quispe

(Age 14, Perú)

Here is My Peaceful World

700 Hundred Words About Peace
Yan Korolev (Age 17, Belarus

The Legacy of Loving the Next: Young People<Living in Poland>)Transforming the World into a Better Place

Marinna Laura Soares Azevedo

Embracing Disparities for a PeacefulTomorrow(Age 14, Brazil)

Haseeb Iqbal (Age 22, Pakistan)

3rd Prize
Children's category (5 entrants)

I'm only seven

Youth category (5 entrants)


Why We Mustn’t Cling on to Labels

Sydor Yaroslav (Age 7, Ukraine)For a Peaceful World
Haruka Someya (Age 13, Japan)



The Importance of Taking Down Barriers:
Mizuki Hayakawa (Age 15, Japan)

What Is Justice?

Redefining our Institutions Through
Love: The Youth’s Path to Peace

Soma Sagai (Age 14, Japan)

Ghena Kubba (Age 16, U.S.A.)

1



Entrust in Peace: Simple Acts



Tanishka Aglave (Age 14, U.S.A.)

Changing Our Awareness for abirthday cake candles
Mira (Age 18, Belarus)



Peaceful World

Cuius regio, eius religio?- From BloodStained Bridges to a Bright Future:

Hayato Yuge (Age 15, Japan)

Uniting Youth For Better Tomorrow
Aiša Muhić (Age 20, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Find Peace in Compassion
Folasade Bolarinwa (Age 21, Nigeria)

Honorable Mention
Children's category (25 entrants)

Youth category (25 entrants)Naqiyyah Afrah (Age 6, Brunei)

Chit Khone Cho Thar (Age 15, Myanmar)Riyo Nokami (Age 10, Japan

Hyunjin Vicky Lee (Age 15, South Korea)<Living in U.S.A.>)

Lujain Swaiss (Age 15, Jordan)

Qihang Chen (Age 11, China)Myat Thiri Zaw (Age 15, Myanmar)

Sinzogan Boris Prudent M. U. (Age 11, Benin)

Honoka Inui (Age 16, Japan)

Cluoe Esthyrbelle G. Labrador (Age 12, Philippines)

Nil Mızraklı (Age 16, Türkiye)Crystal Kim (Age 12, South Korea)



Rin Yanagisawa (Age 16, Japan)



Kokoha Sato (Age 12, Japan)Yotsuba Tanaka (Age 16, Japan)



Rinka Hato (Age 12, Japan)

Zaki Hafizh Zen (Age 16, Indonesia)



Taiki Sasaki (Age 12, Japan)



Cecilia Trisollini Barrientos (Age 17, Perú)

Tomoki Kamiya (Age 12, Japan)Michael Levie M. Alilio (Age 17, Philippines)Hana Gollop (Age 13, Japan & U.K.



Sachiko Aoki (Age 17, Japan)<Living in China>)

Saki Honda (Age 17, Japan)

Hisa Yamada (Age 13, Japan)Shiori Nishida (Age 17, Japan)

Kayleigh Claire Go So (Age 13, Philippines)Tatyana Markevich (Age 17, Belarus)



Noa Murashita (Age 13, Japan)Angelica Wayneth Bernardo (Age 18, Philippines)Yuuki Sue (Age 13, Japan)

Lamees Anza Khan (Age 18, Pakistan)

Chloe Kim (Age 14, U.S.A.)

Anastasiia Radutna (Age 20, Ukraine)Claire Tang (Age 14, U.S.A.)

Metsongmalem M Chang (Age 20, India)Diana Oshan (Age 14, Kazakhstan)

Lopamudra Ghosh (age 21, India)Lim Enn Kii (Age 14, Malaysia & Taiwan



Noy Ben-Sade (Age 21, Israel)of China <Living in Japan>)

Hudda Amjad (Age 22, Pakistan)

Jessica Jubrail (Age 14, Jordan)

Luís Gustavo Gonçalves BarreiraKarin Daito (Age 14, Japan)(Age 22, Brazil)

2

Mao Kuroda (Age 14, Japan)

Rafia Ahmad (Age 23, Pakistan)

Prashansa Shrestha (Age 14, Nepal)Sesam Rana Magar (Age 23, Nepal)

Tan Le En (Age 14, Malaysia)



Thauan Sachet de Figueiredo (Age 14, Brazil)

Best School Award (3 schools)


Koka Gakuen Junior and Senior High School for Girls, Tokyo (Japan)



Setagaya Junior High School attached to Tokyo Gakugei University (Japan)

Tokyo Metropolitan Oizumi Junior High School (Japan)

School Incentive Award (74 schools)Aichi Prefectural Chigusa High School (Japan)

Antique Vocational School- Special Program in Journalism (Philippines)Arsakeio Secondary Schools of Thessaloniki (Greece)

Bal Bharati Public School, Delhi (India)



Beaconhouse Sri Inai International School, Selangor (Malaysia)

Bilingual Kopalinski School, Bielsko-Biala (Poland)

Bukhara region Karavulbazar district School N1 (Uzbekistan)Buyukcekmece Doga Koleji, Istanbul (Türkiye)Chicago Futabakai Japanese School-Saturday School, Illinois (U.S.A.)

Clark Memorial International High School, Aichi (Japan)

Colégio Santa Maria, São Paulo (Brazil)Colégio Vital Brazil, São Paulo (Brazil)

De La Salle Lipa, Inc. (Philippines)Destiny International College, Osogbo (Nigeria)

Écoles Al Madina Site Polo, Casablanca (Morocco)Escuela Preparatoria No. 8 Universidad de Guadalajara (México)FPT University, Hanoi (Viet Nam)

Fuji Sacred Heart School, Shizuoka (Japan)

Fukushima Prefectural Aizu Gakuho Junior and Senior High School (Japan)

Fukushima Prefectural Asakakaisei Senior High School (Japan)

Ghiyasuddin International School, Male’ (Maldives)

Gymnázium Šrobárova, Kosice (Slovakia)

Hougang Secondary School (Singapore)Ikeda Junior High School attached to Osaka Kyoiku University (Japan)3International School of Milan (Italy)Jamaluddin School, Male' (Maldives)

Japaniche Schule in Zurich (Hoshuko) (Switzerland)

Jonan Gakuen Junior High School, Senior High School, Osaka (Japan)

Joso Gakuin Junior & Senior High School, Ibaraki (Japan)

Kagoshima Gyokuryu Junior & Senior High School of Kagoshima City (Japan)

Keimei Gakuen Elementary School, Tokyo (Japan)



Kokugojuku KURU, Tokyo (Japan)

Kyoto University of Advanced Science Junior & Senior High School (Japan)

Labuan International School, Labuan (Malaysia)

Liceul Mathias Hammer in Anina, Caras-Severin (Romania)Matsumoto Shuho Secondary School, Nagano (Japan)Midori Elementary School of Itabashi City, Tokyo (Japan)

Miwada Gakuen Girls' Junior & Senior High School, Tokyo (Japan)

Motherland Secondary School, Pokhara Lekhnath (Nepal)

Nan Hua Primary School (Singapore)Nobeoka Technical High School, Miyazaki (Japan)Omori 6th Junior High School of Ota City, Tokyo (Japan)

OOU Lazo Trpovski, Skopje (North Macedonia)

Ozel Cagdas Bilim Koleji, Muğla (Türkiye)PECHS Girls School, Karachi (Pakistan)Preparatoria Regional de Colotlán, Jalisco (México)Santo Tomas Elementary School-Annex, Laguna (Philippines)Satriwithaya School, Bangkok (Thailand)

School 11, Cherkasy (Ukraine)ȘCOALA GIMNAZIALĂ „SPIRU HARET” BACĂU (Romania)Sekolah Kebangsaan Minden Height, Pinang (Malaysia)

Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sri Nipah, Kelantan (Malaysia)

Senior High School at Sakado, University of Tsukuba, Saitama (Japan)

Showa Women's University Junior-Senior High School, Tokyo (Japan)

Shinjuku Nishitoyama Junior High School of Shinjuku City, Tokyo (Japan)



SJKC Kong Min Cawangan Kedua, Penang (Malaysia)Škola pre mimoriadne nadané deti a Gymnázium, Bratislava (Slovakia)



SMJK Chio Min, Kedah (Malaysia)



SMK Taman Pelangi Indah, Johor (Malaysia)

4

SMP Islam Al Izhar Pondok Labu, South Jakarta (Indonesia)Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology (Taiwan of China)



St. Agnes' Junior & Senior High School, Kyoto (Japan)

Sydney Saturday School of Japanese, New South Wales (Australia)



SESI ESCOLA, Mossoró (Brazil)



St. Joseph Convent School Quetta (Pakistan)

Suma Gakuen Junior High School, Hyogo (Japan)Teacher Su International School, Yangon (Myanmar)

TED Mersin College (Türkiye)Toho Girls' Junior and Senior High School, Tokyo (Japan)

Tokyo Bay International School (Japan)

Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology, Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia)

Yamanouchi Junior High School of Yamanouchi Town, Nagano (Japan)Yaroslavl College of Industry and Economy, Yaroslavl (Russia)



Základná škola Bernolákova 16, Košice (Slovakia)

International Essay Contest for Young People
Panel of Judges:
ChairmanGenshitsu Sen

Former Grand Tea Master of Urasenke,
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
Chairperson, The Goi Peace Foundation
Composer
Senior Advisor, Hakuhodo Inc.
Chairman & Group CEO, CCO
SEIKO GROUP CORPORATION
President of The Africa Society of Japan,
Former Director-General of UNESCO
Cartoonist
President & CEO, FELISSIMOCORPORATION
Picture book author

Masami Saionji
Shunichi Tokura
Junji Narita
Shinji HattoriKoïchiro Matsuura
Suzue Miuchi
Kazuhiko Yazaki
Shomei Yoh
Organized by:Endorsed by:

The Goi Peace Foundation
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan,
Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, Japan Private High School
Federation, Tokyo Metropolitan Board of Education, JapaneseSupported by:Broadcasting Corporation, Nikkei Inc.
SEIKO GROUP CORPORATION, PLUS CORPORATION

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2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 1st Prize】

NO HORRORS(Original)
Chimamanda Kaitlyn Uzoechi(Age 8, Nigeria)
A peaceful world is a world without the horrors of violence,
corruption or danger. Where I don’t hear gunshots orstories of people dying including kids my age.
Even though we live on the topmost floor, I always like tosleep with my windows closed because I am scared ofrobbers or kidnappers. I usually hear strange sounds
outside and wonder if they are gunshots, firecrackers or
our transformer blowing up. My mum would always scoldme to leave the windows open for ventilation and assureme that nothing would happen. Well, nothing ever happened until that evening in May thisyear. My mum, brothers and I had just gotten home some minutes earlier when we heard aloud noise. It was scary but we could not tell if it was one of those usual noises orsomething else. My mum looked out the window but she didn’t see anything. Next, we
heard a woman screaming and my mum ran out saying “maybe that woman is being
assaulted, I have to make sure she is alright”. My mum was out for so long and when she
finally came in, she told us the woman was robbed at gunpoint. Her car, phones, keys weretaken and her baby was almost taken too. Mummy helped her hold her baby because she
was shaken and she with other neighbors tried to help in any way they could to recoverwhat was stolen.
That woman and her baby could have been us seeing as we came in just a few minutes
earlier. It felt like a horror movie but unlike the horror movies where there is no safe place,
my mum became a safe place for that lady. She found solace and peace in my mum’s arms
because my mum chose to help someone in need rather than ignore. She found peacebecause my mum and others chose to be kind.

6

The song ‘We Are the World’ by Michael Jackson says “We are the ones who’ll make abrighter day so let’s start giving”. I always thought giving in that song was just about
donating money but I now understand it actually represents giving love because you cannot
give when you hate. I now know that love is really all we need. This is because from lovecomes kindness, hope, understanding, compassion, patience, fairness, joy, harmony andpeace.
Each person has a role to play especially us the young since we are in charge of the future,
we have to start making it right. So this is me calling on everyone today to fill the world
with love. This is because in a world filled with love, there can be no horrors because thenext person can be your safe place. We can also be the safe place of others just by checking
if the next person is okay. No more ignoring others in school because they are not myfriends. No more minding my business when I see a schoolmate being bullied. No more
greeting only my friends in school. No more hoarding my pens because I want to have extra
even when I know my classmate needs one. This is me choosing to be kind when I know
someone is being mean. This is me cheering my classmates when they are answering aquestion even though they are not getting it right. This is me correcting my friend when I
see them being mean. This is me lending a helping hand when someone needs it. I want tocreate my peaceful future, a brighter world and I know it starts with me.
There would always be bad people who want to promote violence, corruption and danger
but with plenty of love and all its fruits, the good would always win. Maybe those people arebad because they have never received love. Just remember that our loving words andactions can make a lot of positive changes in creating our peaceful future. A future with nohorrors.

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2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 1st Prize】

The Power of Dreams(Original in Japanese)
Michiho Shimazaki(Age 17, Japan)
Seijo Gakuen Senior High School, Tokyo
When you hear the words ‘peaceful world,’ what kind of world
do you imagine? A world where there is no conflict or poverty,
and where no one’s human rights are violated. Many people
are taking action on today’s problems in the hopes that such aworld will be realized. However, I also think that dreaming of apeaceful world is meaningful in itself. If someone is pushing us
or forcing us to solve social problems, our motivation won’t
last long. But the power to dream, which is active andvoluntary, lasts much longer. The power to dream about the
future is the greatest power that young people possess, and it
should be the driving force for world peace.
The year before last, I was a member of a Japanese delegation that had the opportunity to
discuss social issues with American high school students. All the participants talked about
their ideal future. Listening to them, I looked forward to the future that each of themwanted to create, and at the same time, I started to think, “What is my ideal future?” I also
felt that I wanted to support them in making their ideal society a reality.
Incidentally, not only do I take part in out-of-school activities myself, but for the past three
years I have been active in an organization called The Off-Campus Program Portal. The
organization is run entirely by high school students, and provides information on its website
about summer programs, internships, competitions, and other activities for high school
students. The website also features articles interviewing high school students who are
involved in starting businesses, setting up organizations, or conducting research to addresssocial issues—for example, “Myanmar Support Project Established by High School Students”

8and “What Are High School Students Doing to Spread the Word about Orthostatic
Intolerance?”
In other words, these articles are spreading the ‘power of dreams’ of high school students.
In some cases, other students read the articles and are inspired to take action themselves.
By spreading the message, we can influence young people who do not yet have their own
dream.
Through these experiences, I realized the importance of openly discussing our vision for the
future. By sharing our dreams with others, giving each other advice, and encouraging eachother, we become more determined to make those dreams come true. Anyone who has aperson to talk with or access to the internet can experience this. It takes courage to speak
our mind, but if we take the first step, we can potentially influence not only those aroundus, but people on the other side of the world, and even those who think they have nointerest in the subject. If young people recognize this potential, I think the power of dreams
will spread to more and more young people. And if young people who share the same
dream gather together, it will convey to society that this is public opinion among young
people, and we could influence society.
To make this a reality, we need to draw out the power of dreams in more young people. We
also need to ensure that young people who are trying to realize their dream don’t give up
halfway. It is, of course, important for governments and large organizations to reach out toand support young people. But it’s even more essential for the young people involved tosupport each other. This is because large organizations do not necessarily have more
influence in communities, or on social media. After all, not just young people but all people
tend to resonate with the voices and support of their peers. Creating lots of friends,
colleagues, and role models who take the same view of society is a shortcut to spreading
the power of dreams.
I, too, would like to share the power of dreams with many young people through myorganization, even if the scope is limited to Japan. My own dream is to use theater
education to improve the communication, expression, concentration, and imagination ofchildren around the world, and to create a society in which everyone can live their lives intheir own way. In order to realize this dream, I would like to take action and become
someone who emanates the power of dreams.

92023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 2nd Prize】

Seeing Things from the Other Point of View
(Original in Japanese)
Ayumi Kuroiwa(Age 13, Japan)
Tokyo Metropolitan Oizumi Junior High School
For young people to take the initiative in building Japan’s future, I believe that whensomeone’s opinion clashes with our own, it is important to consider the other person’s pointof view, and to convey our own opinions using words that will reach the other person.
The other day in my moral education class, we read an article entitled “Protecting Wild Birds
of Prey.” The article made a strong impression on me personally, especially the part aboutcommunicating one’s opinion in words that will reach the other party.
The article was written by a veterinarian based on his actual experience confronting huntersin a case where lead bullets in the flesh of deer and other hunted animals were causing leadpoisoning in hawks and killing them. Normally, the author wrote, most of us would state our
opinion to the hunters using words that criticize hunting and the use of lead bullets. But
when speaking to the hunters, the author didn’t say, “Don’t use lead bullets” or “Please stophunting,” because at that time, hunting was not prohibited, and some people said that theyneeded to protect their livelihoods from the overpopulation of deer. If I were in the hunters’
position, I think I would have felt antagonistic toward the author, wondering why I shouldstop hunting if it’s not prohibited.
In this situation, the author continued to appeal to the hunters, suggesting that they change
from lead bullets to copper bullets. That way, they could continue hunting without causing
damage to the hawks. In the end, the author’s wish was understood, and hunting with leadbullets was banned in Hokkaido.
When I read this article, I was moved by the way the author considered the hunters’ pointof view and thought about what to say to them.

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When I was in about grade 5, the new coronavirus started to spread. Nowadays, we see
people all over the city taking off their masks, but at the beginning people were wary of thevirus, and it was normal to wear a mask even outdoors in the summertime. My elementary
school was no exception, and everyone wore masks at all times. During that time, there
was a boy in my class who took his mask off during recess and for a while afterwards. He
didn’t have any special medical condition; he just wanted to take it off. A lot of the kids who
were in the same class told him to put his mask on. I myself spoke to him directly. But nomatter how much we reminded him, he wouldn’t put his mask on, so eventually we went to
the teacher. After meeting with the teacher, the boy stood in front of the whole class andsaid, “I’m sorry for taking off my mask without permission, not considering that it would
make some people uncomfortable in these times. I took it off because I was so hot after
recess and really wanted to take my mask off. Please let me take it off for a little while.” I
was surprised at his behavior, yet I could also understand what he was saying. After that,no one told him to put his mask on. As I thought back on it, I realized that it was because
he honestly expressed his feelings that his thoughts reached everyone.
Today, with the spread of the Internet, it’s possible to post one’s opinions online without
revealing one’s true identity. On the other hand, more people are suffering abuse because
people believe what they hear without knowing the person’s circumstances, and some evenend up committing suicide. This might sound like glossing over the problem, but I think it’svery important to see things from the other point of view, and to convey our opinions inwords that reach the other person.

112023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 2nd Prize】

WE ARE COLOUR PALETTES(Original)
Anelis Kristel Huarhuachi Quispe(Age 14, Perú)How many colours are there? There must be thousands, millions, and who knows there may
even be billions. Each colour is unique, even if there are limited base colours, the tones andshades create new colours. In the same way, each person is a canvas given by beautiful
cultural brushstrokes according to the unique context of each of us.
Many people may not appreciate the beauty of our colours, I lived it and I remember it very
well. When once in a cooking workshop I was taking, I burned myself with some hot water,and I said: "Achachau!", an expression that in Quechua means "Hot hot!"; when I said that,a girl near me muttered "How vulgar it is...", I felt bewildered and ashamed. I felt
bewildered and embarrassed, all my life I had said that phrase, since my family has
Quechua ancestry and it was normal to use those expressions; I did not know that people
found it vulgar.
Another time, my mom came to school and said, "How did my beautiful girl do today?", she
had always called me that affectionately. Then I heard that some kids started spreading
rumours that I was spoiled and that I was still being treated like a baby. When I heard what
they were saying about me, I felt very ashamed and angry towards my mother for being
the "cause of all the rumours".
The next day my mother was helping me with my homework, when she said to me in acongratulatory way "How can my precious girl be so smart?". "Precious girl", again she had
said it; out of nowhere, I got annoyed with her and shouted at her to never call me thatagain, after that I could not hold back the tears that welled up in my eyes. Mum wasshocked because it had all happened in an instant. When I realised what I had done, Iapologised to her and tried to hold back the tears running down my cheeks.

12My mother was now very concerned about why I was crying, so she asked me in a kindvoice what had happened to me; at that moment, I blurted out everything that had been
happening to me for a few years, told her about how different I felt compared to my peers,and how they talked about it. My mum understood my situation, comforted me andexplained that everyone in the world is different and unique, some more than others, butthat does not make us less or more important. She told me: "We all have a different paletteof colours within us and what we paint with it will be unique and priceless". I could notunderstand that sentence at the time she said it, but I had been able to understand themessage of everything else.
After that moment, it was very difficult, but little by little I stopped caring what others saidor thought about me and started to focus on loving myself; as well as helping others who
are going through the same situation as me.
Now I have finally come to understand what my mother meant to tell me on that occasionand her phrase has become the centre of my life. For the differences we have are notmeant to separate, hate or reject each other; we are meant to unite, respect and love eachother.
If there are green apples, when the standard is for them to be red; if the sky that is usually
blue is tinged with orange and amber brushstrokes in the sunsets, why do people offend
those who are different from them?
Although I still do not know many things because I am a child, I am very sure that if weever observe or experience discriminatory situations, we must face them and not let theopinion of others keep us from being ourselves. We are the path that will lead to peace.
Because a world of peace is not white where colour is absent, it must be a world where allcolour palettes live together in harmony and will create the most beautiful canvas in all ofhistory.

13

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 2nd Prize】

The Legacy of Loving the Next:
Young People Transforming the World into a Better Place(Original)
Marinna Laura Soares Azevedo(Age 14, Brazil)
Sesi Escola - São Gonçalo Do Amante, Rio Grande Do Norte
From the moment my grandmother departed this world, I felt like a part of me had been
abruptly ripped away. Her absence left an emptiness in my heart and the peace that once
reigned in my life dissipated like a breath of wind. The loss of my grandmother brought withit a whirlwind of emotions and challenges, transforming my worldview in ways I could never
have imagined.
Her presence was an inexhaustible source of wisdom, love, and comfort. She taught me
many of the values that I carry with me to this day, the simple idea of not being able toshare laughter, hugs and deep conversations with her was devastating, losing the love of
my life was devastating.
I found myself facing the challenge of rebuilding my identity without influence or guidance,
now the uncertainty of my position in a world so uncertain, I was just a young girl.
My grandmother Vera Lúcia was a living example of love for others and dedication to thecommunity. Her concern extended beyond family boundaries, she genuinely cared foreveryone around her. She brought groups of people together, regardless of theirdifferences, and welcomed them with generosity and compassion. His welcoming spirit andability to bring people together was inspiring, his actions and caring are still remembered
today. With her example, I learned that building a world of peace for young people begins
with the commitment to love one another, to take care of everyone, without distinction. It isby uniting groups and welcoming diversity that we can build a more harmonious society,where each individual feels valued and included.
Through this splendid example I had in childhood and adolescence, I learned that rebuilding

14

a peaceful world begins with the commitment to love your neighbor and take care ofeveryone, without distinction. It is by creating and bringing together groups and welcoming
everyone regardless of race, way of thinking, belief, disability, that we can build aharmonious and more humane society where each individual feels valued and respected.
I learned that the loss of my grandmother should not be the end of my peace, but an
opportunity to grow, to put into practice everything that was passed and inherited to me. I
found solace in the certainty that her presence is woven into my essence because I am her
blood of blood, and that her legacy lives on through me and everyone she sowed without
wanting anything in return. The peace that seemed lost was slowly being rebuilt.
Nowadays my biggest motivations and aspirations are to try to help others in any way, be ita simple gesture like a hug, a message of comfort, making donations with my family tothose in need because a little becomes a lot. Our society lacks empathy, loving each othermore and supporting their ideas and what the other has to say. In 2023 I became a classleader, a project developed at my school so that young people have more autonomy,
practice citizenship and be responsible. When we are away from the problems, being just ayoung person, we are not so worried about everything that is happening around us, when
you are given the responsibility and the possibility to look beyond, you realize how young
people are full of conflicts and difficulties. As peace has been taken from them lately, weneed to show that unity makes strength, expressing that we are human and we aretemporary yes, but what we sow in the lives of others will never be forgotten and our flame
will still be lit, and we will be inspirations through compassion, projects, and dedication.
Young people play a key role in this peacebuilding journey. Young people are agents ofchange, capable of bringing incredible ideas and an innovative vision for the reconstructionof a more peaceful world, so we are the new generation, and we need to act and learn fromthe mistakes of past generations so as not to make mistakes again in the future.

15

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 2nd Prize】

HERE IS MY PEACEFUL WORLD(Original)
Feyisola Maria Bolarinwa(Age 17, Nigeria)
University of Jos
It was turmoil, battle and violence killing. It was an experience of conflict all year long in mycommunity. Gunshots, clashing of machetes and blood bath was the order of the day.
Running several kilometers with bare feet, I struggled with my feeble and wobbly legs. My
tongue completely dried up in my mouth. Fear engulfed my entire body. I could never tell if
I would survive to see the next day. Many children were orphaned by the constant andunending feud, many were killed just when they barely opened their eyes for the first timeon earth.
There were series of dialogues and mediations, these yielded no fruit. So I woke up one dayvery determined to contribute to build peace and end violence. I decided to use indigenous‘tools’ from the two feuding communities to pass the message of peace and love for one
another. I compiled songs from all the indigenous folktales and folklores that border onpeace, love, charity, forgiveness and care for one another. I also developed some othersongs from the native proverbs and chanting.
Though seen as a youth and might not be listened to, I met my father and told him I had amessage of peace that I would like the elders to hear. He listened to what I had to say andagreed I should go further with it. On the next dialogue day, I came with my message ofpeace in songs, parables and folklores. After my presentation, the message sank deep into
their hearts. One of the songs requested them to reflect on what they have done tothemselves and to their fellow humans. They could contemplate on humane means ofsettling scores other than being barbaric.
The next dialogue day when the two parties in conflict met, I was asked to go there. I was
nervous when I began by telling them I came for peace and not for war. I appealed to them16

to give peace a chance. Fortunately, they permitted me but reluctantly. They recorded
every bit of my songs and folktales. I was able to shape their minds towards peace in myown little ways. They asked me to repeat every bit of it, I obeyed. Though they were happy
to see that I was determined to bring peace to the land of the fighting communities, they
were all overwhelmed with guilt. My goal was to build a sustainable peace. I returned homevery happy. I barely rested when the elders from my community sent for me. They wanted
to learn more about what I had done. I updated them and added more to what they heard
before. They were excited, this led them to sponsor me to make fliers and records. I did it.
The next day, the songs and recitations I had done was shown on TV and announced on theradio.
I was encouraged by the outcome, so I did more by adding drama and sculpting to theprogram. I could not do all these alone, so I made all the youth who were interested in mycause to be involved. When I noticed we had made impact, I crossed to the othercommunity that was fighting with us and got more youth from there into the group. All thesongs, dance and other performances carried the message of peace. We also performed invillage square of many communities in addition to the two communities in conflict. Our
performances and the whole program yielded results. The fighting communities agreed toembrace peace. They continued to coexist peacefully. A world of peace is all about love,care, forgiving one another and to live in harmony. We, the youth can build peace in theworld today by coming together to spread the message of peace. We can make it happen
everywhere. I have many unforgettable performances with strong messages of peace.
Looking at how I started, the young people can come together to use our creativity andinnovation to find solutions to the main causes of conflicts that affect our hearts, our homes,
our countries and the whole world. Why don’t you give us a chance?

172023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 2nd Prize】

700 Hundred Words About Peace(Original)
Yan Korolev(Age 17, Belarus <Living in Poland>)Liceum Mary Curie in Warsaw
All people want peace but in all times they have had wars and nobody has believed inpeaceful future. Can this situation ever be changed? – It can. Only if our generation getsdifferent the world will be different. Only if all people change. Only if my brother and myclassmates change... This is what I thought first.
When the war in the Ukraine began I asked my granddad what my brother and I can do tostop wars. He said: “Each time before you enter your brother’s room think: you want tomake him happy or you come to hurt him. Respect the others’ territory and behave
friendly on it. When you do anything, think if you can do it better. Ask your parents andgrandparents to tell you about good, positive things from their lives. Learn from good things
they have done. Start to play this game with your brother.”This is what we have learnt from this game.
My brother wanted to start doing wrestling. Doing wrestling is a good thing we thought. But
what could be better? A better wrestling, of course! - Not offensive but defensive. Do you
want to attack and beat others or defend yourself and protect your friends? So we made theright choice. My brother chose judo. We learned to be non-aggressive.
When 2022 protests in Belarus started, an acquaintance of us used to say that peacefuldemonstrations could not change anything. We started to play our game. We searched“peaceful revolutions” on Google and found information about successful peaceful changes
in Poland, the GDR and other European countries. Hurrah! Non-violent protests were theright thing. We learnt to be patient and peaceful.
Many Orthodox priests teach that other believers do not go to Heaven. That was a challenge
for us. We have many non-Orthodox friends. Our granddad recommended us to compare18

the works of people during the war in the Ukraine. “Do not listen to words”, he said. We
saw – there are many other people in all religions who love God, people and peace. So welearnt to be tolerant.
When granddad was young he traveled with a song band and raised money for sickChernobyl children. Their first concert was in Germany in a holiday house for gays. After theconcert he spoke with some of them. One of the gays told though he was accepted by manyfriends, he knew, he was not like the majority of men and he was not happy. So we learned
to understand strange or different people and have mercy with them.
A boy was bullying me at school and my granddad stopped it after speaking friendly withthe parents of that boy. Later my younger brother experienced the same. My brother was agood judoka and I recommended him to fight the boy, to teach him a lesson. But mybrother reminded me how our granddad had settled a similar situation with me. My brothertaught me to settle conflicts peacefully.
When our mother was small she lived in Germany and met many Germans. They werefriendly. They helped Chernobyl children. But in Belarus she heard bad propaganda-things
about Germans in the kindergarten. She protested: “No, Germans are good people! They do
not kill, they help.” So we learnt to forgive.
We asked our granddad to tell what he did for peace. He was an officer. His task was to callenemy’s soldiers to surrender. In 1982 they wanted to send him to the war in Afghanistan.
He refused and was dismissed from the army. He could make his career but he did not. So
we learnt to not participate in unjust wars.
We still continue playing our granddad’s game. This game has taught me, that there won’t
be peace if not others but I become better, if my brother and I don’t teach my futurechildren and grandchildren to compete being more peaceful, tolerant, respectful, kinder.
Probably we will not live in a peaceful world yet, but our children or grandchildren will. We
want so much you to join our game. Compete and practice in doing good and peacefulthings now for the future peace sake. Let’s play and live this game together worldwide!
*Note: The word limit for the Essay Contest is 700 words.

19

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 2nd Prize】

Embracing Disparities for a Peaceful Tomorrow(Original)
Haseeb Iqbal(Age 22, Pakistan)
University of Education, Lahore
I am living in a country that has a diverse population, from Sindhis and Balochis to Punjabis
and Puchtuns with their own distinctive cultures. I've had the honor of experiencing
personally the beautiful blend of cultures, dialects, and customs that compose our versatilenation.
While growing up in Pakistan, I observed the chaotic aftereffects of the Afghan war in thedays following the 9/11 attacks. The consequences of the conflict echoed throughout ourcommunities, notably in the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan. These areas became
incubators for aggression and radicalization, shattering families and ripping communities
apart.
In the midst of the perplexity and insecurity, I recollect a story of perseverance andsolidarity that arose from catastrophe. Faced with enormous suffering, the inhabitants ofthese tribal communities, young and old, discovered a road to peace. They figured out the
only way to break the pattern of violence was to embrace their disparities and build respectamong themselves.
Prompted by this story, youth-led activities sprung like fragile seedlings in thirsty soil. These
organizations brought together young people from various backgrounds—tribal villages,
urban areas, and various ethnicities—to participate in debate, discuss thoughts, and foster
reconciliation efforts.
A similar initiative established peace discussions where young people from all backgrounds
may freely share their incidents and anticipations. These forums became an amalgamationof viewpoints, allowing people to relate the sufferings they faced during the conflict, theproblems they encountered and the desires they kept dear.

20

During these interactions, I was reminded of Palwasha, a young Pashtun girl whose entire
family had been directly touched by violence. Regardless of her wounds of battle, shestayed resolute to construct a peaceful future. "We experienced the catastrophic
consequences of prejudice and division," she stated through tears. It is entirely up to us,
youngsters, to establish a new road, one founded on compassion, comprehension, andacceptance."
The moving tales and discussions served as accelerators for change. The youngsters
collaborated to create community initiatives that cut across socioeconomic divides. They
started learning initiatives, vocational training courses, and exchange of cultures efforts tobuild understanding and peace.
The effect of these youth-led peace projects proceeded to spread throughout the tribal
regions in the months and years that followed. Towns that had previously been tormented
by aggression and misery gradually found consolation in the sprouts of mutualcomprehension that had been planted. Educational institutions and schools were safe
havens for young minds to study and grow alongside one another, knocking down religious
and cultural boundaries.
Moving ahead, it is critical for us, as a Pakistani youth, to carry the peace flame forward. We
must acknowledge that creating long-term peace is a process that takes perseverance,
commitment, and an unflinching devotion to accept our disparities.
We may have significant impacts as youth by actively connecting with one another,
supporting discourse, and creating understanding across varied cultures. We may cultivate
the seeds of peace in our culture by confronting prejudices, eliminating illusions, andbuilding compassion.
We can provide subsequent generations with the skills they need to create bonds ofsolidarity by encouraging tolerance and cross-cultural comprehension through educational
programs that foster peace and mutual respect. We can create an atmosphere where every
individual feel welcome by pushing inclusive legislation, highlighting minority perspectives,and favoring a just society.
The path to peace in the aftermath of the Afghan war explained us the transformational
potential of accepting our divergent views. We can establish a tomorrow where the scars ofyesterday are healed. Let us keep singing humanity's symphony, collaborating to achieve a
harmonious and welcoming Pakistan for the future.

21

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 3rd Prize】

I'm only seven(Original)
Sydor Yaroslav(Age 7, Ukraine)
I'm only seven. I'm just a kid. I go to school, I have friends, favorite toys, loving parents, I
love music, especially rock music, and I dream of creating my own rock band, similar to thefamous "Queen", and also I learn to play the guitar. I dream that my mother and father will
be with me at all my performances. It seems that what can be difficult in life when you areseven? However, war came to my country.
One morning I woke up to the sound of sirens. It was very scary. There was a huge traffic
jam on the road. There were empty shelves at many stores. And then the long, cold nights
in the shelter began. It seems that what can be difficult in life when you are seven? But inmy seven years, I saw rockets fly and they hit buildings and explodes. In my seven years, I
know what war is. And that's why I know how important peace is. The wish for peace has
now become the main thing at all events. Blowing out the candles on the cake - everyone
wants only one thing - peace. Because it doesn't matter how many toys they give you, if arocket can fly into your house and destroy everything. Destroying your children's room,
scattering toys in different directions…
Peace is a happy future. We are just kids but we really want peace. A peaceful future. A
future in which you can travel to any country as a whole family, a future where there is nofear, a future where people are friends with nature, a future where people help each other.
I am only a little child. I'm only seven. I cannot write laws, make important decisions thatwill help build peace around. But as a kid I take part to build peace on Earth. I protect
nature. I care for peace between human and living beings. I protect insects. And I invite
you to join this initiative. Do you see the ladybug crawling along the road? Pick it up andplace it on the grass. Do you see that the garden chafer has turned onto his back andhelplessly moving his paws? Turn it over. Small steps make the world a better place. I do

22

not pollute the environment. Because the Earth is our shared home. I care about peace
between human and the planet.
I'm just a kid. But I want to surround myself with peace, I am friendly to my classmates and I believe that peace in the classroom will lead to peace in the school, and peace in theschool will lead to peace in our neighborhood, which in turn will lead to peace in the city andthe whole country. I believe that love is the basis of peace. After all, only a lack of love
gives rise to envy, selfishness, anger, and hatred. I encourage the world to love their lives.
Unique life. One life. To protect the lives of those who cannot protect themselves. I protect
the life of insects, my mother and father protect my life, my parents' life is protected by mygrandparents. God protects our lives. And I believe that with God’s help, peace, like abeautiful butterfly, will fly to my Ukraine.
We are children and we believe that soon peace will come not only in our country, but also
on all continents. Because although I am only seven, I know how many continents andoceans there are, I know on which continent people lack water and medicine. So I dreamthat peace will come for all people in the world. Because every person deserves peace.
Peace as the absence of war. Peace, as the absence of quarrels. Peace, like the absence oflack of food and water. Peace, like clean seas and rivers. Peace, like the absence of circuseswith animals and cages in zoos.
Everyone needs peace…

23

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 3rd Prize】

For a Peaceful World(Original in Japanese)
Haruka Someya(Age 13, Japan)
Joso Gakuin Junior High School, Ibaraki
Although the chocolate we eat is sweet, in reality it is bitter. I learned this in my social
studies class. In Ghana, Africa, children as young as ten years old work on cacao farms frommorning to evening. Instead of going to school, they climb up the cacao trees, some as highas ten meters, to harvest the cacao fruit. It is very dangerous work, because they climb out
on branches too thin to support adults, and if they fall they could lose their life. The children
harvesting the cacao said that they had never eaten chocolate. I wonder how many people
know that there are lots of children risking their lives for the delicious chocolate we eat.
In recent years, the fair trade movement has grown up in response to this situation. The
idea is that we should consider not only our own interests, but also the lives of people inother countries. In other words, it is a way of looking at things from two different
perspectives—our own side and the other side. In addition, the Table for Two initiative isworking to eliminate hunger. The way it works is that, when people eat at certain
restaurants and company cafeterias, money is automatically donated to developing
countries. These initiatives are not just looking at the problems, but are working toward
solutions.
The Sustainable Development Goals, including “No Poverty,” “Quality Education,” and“Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions,” have not yet been achieved. However, I believethat the world can change if everyone takes a broader perspective, rather than looking onlyat their immediate surroundings. To do this, I think the first step is knowledge.
Recently, I saw a play at school called “Grandpa’s Sky.” It was a story about a kamikaze
pilot. The mother said in a trembling voice to her son, who had become a kamikaze pilot,“Please come back safely,” even though she knew he would not come back. How painful it

24

must have been for the young men who died as suicide pilots. There was one scene where akamikaze pilot fled home, and was beaten by a superior officer. I shook in fear to think thateven in Japan, which I thought was a peaceful country, there had been such cruel times.
After the play, a member of the theatre troupe told us that they visit schools and perform
this play in order to convey the brutality of war.
Actually, I have visited the Yokaren Peace Memorial Museum. There were real letters andphotos on display that had been left behind, and seeing them, I had a vivid sense of thereality of war. I was pained by the sad history of the war, which I had not known before.
For the sake of national interests and the wishes of adults, people who had been born into
this world died without having the chance to let their lives shine. I felt that war should neverbe allowed to happen. I think it’s essential that we make the world a place where wars are
not started.
A peaceful world is one where everyone can feel happiness, cherish life, and laugh with eachother. To create a peaceful world, what we need is knowledge. We need to know aboutchildren who cannot go to school, about children who are hungry but do not have food,about children who are not permitted to receive an education, about conflicts taking placearound the world, about the wars that have taken place in our own country, about the
global environment, and about the war between Ukraine and Russia. There are realities thatmake us want to turn away. There are still many important things that we need to know.
I think the first step I can take is to learn about each of these things, and think about themearnestly without looking away. The next thing I can do is to understand things from otherpeople’s points of view, and take action to achieve solutions.
Just as the world started fair trade for the children of Ghana, in the same way, I would liketo continue learning and thinking, so that chocolate can become truly sweet, and our world
can truly merge together.

25

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 3rd Prize】

What Is Justice?
(Original in Japanese)
Soma Sagai(Age 14, Japan)
Omori 6th Junior High School of Ota City, Tokyo
Two questions were posed to us in our social studies class: “What is justice?” and “Does war
exist for the sake of justice?”
I answered as follows:
Justice is what I myself believe to be right. Because it is about my own beliefs, I think thatjustice means something different to everyone. There are 36 students in my class, so wewill have 36 different views on justice. There are more than 7.8 billion people in the world,so there are over 7.8 billion different definitions of justice.
Because of this, it sometimes happens that two peopleʼs views on justice do not mesh well.
When this happens, people fight. When it happens between countries, the countries go to
war. If country A and country B are at war, country A is at war because it thinks it is ʻright,ʼ
and country B is at war because it thinks it is ʻright.ʼ Therefore, I do think that war exists forthe sake of justice. At the same time, I also think that what makes war so terrible is thatneither side wants to stop fighting because both sides believe that they are right.
However, when I showed my answer to my friend, he was surprised. He said, “Thereʼs nosuch thing as a war for justice.” I listened to my friendʼs answer, but I didnʼt understand it.
Although I didnʼt say it out loud, I felt that my answer had better logic and was the rightone. Then, I realized something amazing.
Wasnʼt this a form of justice, too?
I was sure about my answer. But I guess my friend felt the same way. He was confident in26

his answer, and thatʼs why my answer surprised him. When I thought about that, I brokeout in a cold sweat. Just a little while ago, I was thinking that war is terrible because eachside is proclaiming its own self-righteous view of justice, and without realizing it, I was
imposing my own self-righteous view of justice on my friend.
Right now, there are various conflicts taking place around the world, starting with Russiaʼsinvasion of Ukraine. We young people see these scenes on TV, but all we can do is raisemoney and provide temporary support. Only a few cabinet ministers and others are involved
in finding fundamental solutions, and young people canʼt do anything about it. So, it seems
that there is very little that young people can do. But that is wrong, because we young
people can change the future. We have the greatest advantage, and so we carry thegreatest responsibility. Whether we create a peaceful future or a future filled with war is up
to us.
Of course, everyone wants peace, but for many people, the feeling of “I should dosomething for peace!” is too vague, and they donʼt know what to do. So, what kinds ofthings can we do right away for the sake of peace? What I think is important here is torecognize the differences in our views on justice. For example, we can try to see the otherpersonʼs view of justice in a positive light, and even we donʼt like the person much, we canlisten carefully to their view of justice. When some kind of conflict arises with anotherperson, rather than striking first, we can share each otherʼs views of justice and makeefforts to understand one another. By broadening our perspective, starting with the wordʻjustice,ʼ we will find more and more things that we can do. Justice can be troublesome attimes, but if we give it careful thought and deepen our understanding of it, justice can also
be a reliable ally. Justice and peace are connected.
In the end, there are no shortcuts to peace. The tiny measures of care and considerationthat we take, though nearly invisible on a global scale, are a long but sure path to apeaceful future.
Justice means something different for everyone. With this as my foundation—or rather, as
the foundation for all youth, who bear the future on our shoulders—I would like to build apeaceful future.

27

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 3rd Prize】

Entrust in Peace: Simple Acts
(Original)
Tanishka Aglave(Age 14, U.S.A.)
Williams Middle School, Florida
I have met numerous pessimistic people in my life- those who convey peace has ceased toexist. In fact, I have been told a plethora of statements that are righteous to one extent but
also despondent of the world we reside in. “Don’t believe anyone. Otherwise, you will be
deceived”. “In this world, no one will come to help you.” As a naïve child eight years ago, I
would have been oblivious to the contradiction lying on the opposite end of this literary life
spectrum. However, I am now enlightened to have strived for hope and peace in the world,
rooting for faith. Sometimes, the most unprecedented situations of adversity pave the pathfor peculiar individuals to trespass your life and make a difference discretely. That, I assert,
is my perception of the indefinite void of peace: A society brimming with kindness.
When I was reminded of this prompt, I recalled a life-changing incident that occurred in2015 when I was boarding a train in New Delhi. Suddenly, I was taken back to thescreeching sounds of the train halting on tracks amid the bustling, renowned train station.
People running to get on the train first, loved ones rushing to hug their relatives, and theannouncers announcing the arrival of the recent train. My mother clutched my hand in her
clasps, asking me not to release her hand. Yes, yes, I repeated to myself. I am from
America- a foreign country. I am wearing Nike shoes and ripped jeans and a nice blouse.
People are dangerous; they would not hesitate to steal from me. I was getting weary of the
shoves from hundreds of pushing people behind me. When my laces came undone, I
crouched down to fix them. Looking up, I realized my mother was nowhere near mypremise. My heart was racing, my backpack was weighing me down as faces blurred in thecrowd. Tears streamed. Lost, pushed, fell on knees. Insignificance engulfed me amidst
indifferent strangers.
A lady in a blue “Saree” looked down and crouched to lend me a hand.” Don’t trust her, I
instinctively engraved in my mind. She might be dangerous.

28

“Beta (child), are you all right?” she asked.
Despite my internal denial to share, my voice started quivering, speechless on how to share
everything.
“I-I-I’m lost. My mother is somewhere; I cannot find her!”
She asked me where I was going and offered to take me to my mother. I depicted mymother to my utmost ability. As her eyes lit up, I could tell she had picked up on something.
We navigated through the maze of people until I found my mother also looking for me inthe crowd. I ran to her, relief washing over me. The lady beamed, and my mother thanked
her in gratitude.
That day, the horrific incident gave me a voice renewing my loyalty to kindness/peace. As a14-year girl today, I am aware the scenario is marginal comparative to thousands ofstruggles today, in some havocked locations. But as a child frail and terrified of thetreacherous world illusioned, I take immense pride in having painted a new vision. Today, I
live in a world where terrible things do happen, but they are preventable. As a teenager, I
use social media daily, seeing individuals share their issues and arising global crises. It has
occurred to me, without being cliché, that messages can be spread within blinks. If so, one
can send messages to help unknown people through acts of kindness, spread awareness,and gain support.
During COVID-19, I realized vast populations were being decimated within days in rural
areas globally. Responsively, I engaged in a collaborative effort to help raise money tosupply oxygen concentrators to these resource-scarce locations. Triumphantly, more than
$50,000 were raised, saving innumerable lives, and social media was the promoting
platform.
Peace is a multi-faceted notion, branching numerous perceptions- but it embarks on its
journey through kindness. The journey that I gained through my experience. I envision apeaceful world where we reside in a society possibly struggling, and another person arrives
to offer their shoulder. Entrusting, we pour our faith into a stranger and believe the world
will do us good.

29

2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Children’s Category – 3rd Prize】

Changing Our Awareness for a Peaceful World(Original in Japanese)
Hayato Yuge
(Age 15, Japan)
Setagaya Junior High School attached to Tokyo Gakugei University
As I set out to write this essay, the word ‘peace’ brought up a string of associations. Peacemade me think of doves, doves made me think of animals, animals made me think of living
things, living things made me think of the earth, and the earth made me think of the ocean.
So, I decided to write about the ocean, which is also the birthplace of life on earth.
Since starting junior high school, I’ve volunteered a few times for beach cleanups, and I’ve
been amazed at how much garbage there is by the ocean. From candy wrappers to plastic
bottles, there is so much garbage. I was also shocked to see how much of it had broken up
into microplastics and covered the sand. At first, I felt that picking up the pieces of garbage
one by one was unpleasant, painful, and tedious. But once I really got into it, I realized anumber of things. First, I was impressed by our leader’s words: “Some of you might thinkthat picking up garbage is dull and no fun, but it’s important to make it fun.” When I
actually gave it a try, I felt a sense of accomplishment in picking up the garbage and making
the beach a little cleaner and prettier, and I was able to enjoy it. I realized that I was biased
toward thinking that it would be dull and boring, and that my impression changed when I
actually experienced it. Our leader also said, “We can’t do anything on our own, but nothing
will change unless someone starts to act.” These words gave me a push to actually dosomething.
I was thinking about what I could do, when I learned about a contest to create an oceancleaning robot, and I decided to enter. While thinking about a robot to clean the oceans, I
also thought about how to reduce the amount of garbage in the first place. That was when I
realized something important. Two things are essential for cleaning up the oceans. The firstis changing people’s awareness. If we ask questions like “What is happening in the oceans
now?” and “Why are these problems happening?” and learn the reality of the situation, I

30

think we wouldn’t throw so much garbage in the ocean. As our leader at the beach cleanup
also said, “Knowledge leads to change.” The second thing I realized is that we need both away to clean up the garbage in the oceans and the funds to do it. Otherwise, if we justleave the garbage in the ocean, the earth will become more and more polluted.
My idea to promote awareness is to broadcast a “Clean Forecast” on the news. Like theweather forecast, it would be broadcast daily, and would quantify what is happening in themarine environment, where the most garbage is located in rivers and oceans, and whichareas have improved or not improved in terms of littering. By making people aware of thisinformation, I hope we can change their attitudes about littering. I’d like for people to careabout the cleanliness of the ocean the same way they care about the daily weather. To raise
funds and clean up the garbage in the ocean, my idea is to ask companies to sponsor the
Clean Forecast. I think companies could improve their image by publicizing that they areparticipating in cleanup efforts. We would also look at the numbers and impose fines onareas where littering is particularly bad. As a result, these areas with a lot of garbage would
make efforts to improve their environment.
To change our awareness, we need to change our way of thinking. If we can have fun whileworking to solve problems, then I think children and young people will become interested aswell. I participated in a workshop on garbage cleanup, and in the workshop I learned abouta unique initiative. When the popularity of tapioca drinks led to an increase in litter fromcups, cute, specially-made trash bins were set up, and trash bags shaped like rugby balls
were distributed at sports stadiums. People were invited to fill the bags with trash and try toscore with their trash balls, and the amount of garbage decreased dramatically. When urged
on in this way, people’s awareness changes, and their behavior changes, too.
By changing our awareness, we can perhaps see all the world’s problems differently. It is
my hope that even if the action we take is a small one, it will ripple outward and create abetter and more peaceful world.

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2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 3rd Prize】

The Importance of Taking Down Barriers:
Why We Mustn’t Cling on to Labels(Original)
Mizuki Hayakawa(Age 15, Japan)
Senzoku Gakuen Senior High School, Tokyo
I open Instagram and I find a post on the Israeli-Palestine Conflict. I scroll through thecomments which are either “team Palestine” or “team Israel.” There isn’t a single comment
which truly addresses the root of the Israeli-Palestine Conflict, and I don’t find any solutionsin the comments. When I turn on TV, I see protesters who are for and against theoverturning of Roe v. Wade. Left-wing media only interviews pro-choice protesters, whileright-wing media only interviews pro-life protesters. From these, I realize that everybody is
focused solely on the label they put on themselves. This situation has become so natural forus that we don’t question it; however, why is it that we all have to be in a particular
category and either agree or disagree on a topic? Why can’t we at least try to understandwhat the opposing side is trying to claim? This is precisely the reason why we aren’t able toachieve peace: because nobody tries to understand each other.
Our society is obsessed with categorizing people because this makes us feel as though webelong in a particular place. However, what we don’t see is that these categories aremeaningless, and that by labeling ourselves, we are simply putting up walls which prevent
people with different opinions from understanding each other. When we categorize
ourselves as being in a category, we naturally refuse to even consider the other side’s
claims. In the United States, division is now a problem larger than ever, with most people
categorizing themselves as either democrats or republicans. Unity and cooperation isnecessary in order to solve international issues, and because this division is preventing us
from understanding each other, we are ultimately preventing ourselves from solving thesesocial issues.
I have had the privilege of living in Singapore, one of the most racially diverse countries in32the world and there, I experienced true diversity. “Look around, isn’t it beautiful that peopleof so many skin colors and religions are gathered in this classroom?” Every year, we would
have Culture Day, where we would all present our own unique cultures; it was a day when
everybody would be proud of their own culture. I would go home, prouder of my Japanese
ethnicity than ever. We were different, but that didn’t mean anything to us because we
didn't have values set by society that said one race was superior while one wasn’t. It was
only when I started to pay attention to politics and started social media that I first realized
how divided people were. That was when I realized that us young people need to be theones taking action, since we are going to be the ones shaping the future.
In order to finally take down the wall among ourselves, we mustn’t cling onto ourcategorization by society, and we should strive to educate ourselves on all sides of an issue.
My friend and I, who realized that there are very few platforms which truly look at an issue
from all perspectives, have been planning to set up a website and a social media account inorder to raise awareness of the fact that we aren’t truly trying to understand other people’s
opinions. What we realized was that young people do care about social issues, and what weare missing is our understanding of each other. Therefore, the opportunity to learn about
the other stance is key to solving social issues. If we do not even know what other people’s
opinions are, how are we even able to argue against that opinion?
It might seem as though social issues in our current world are impossible to solve, because
nobody is willing to change their opinions. But even before trying to convince others, weneed to start with understanding why others believe in what they believe. There are evenmany cases in which both sides of an argument are ultimately trying to achieve the same
goal; it is simply that the way they are trying to achieve it is different. Therefore, I strongly
believe that breaking down barriers between us and cooperating with each other will surely
lead us to a peaceful path.

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2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 3rd Prize】

Redefining our Institutions Through Love: The Youth’s Path to Peace(Original)
Ghena Kubba(Age 16, U.S.A.)
Phillips Exeter Academy, New Hampshire
A peaceful world is not one devoid of conflict but one devoid of needless suffering. Conflictat the expense of others' dignity and well-being threatens humanity. Despite the threat, welack urgency in attempting to understand why fundamentally we are complicit in systems of
exploitation and oppression. Efforts towards a more just and peaceful world can begin withthe youth as we closely examine how we think and perceive the world around us. Our more
complex institutions and systems are rooted in a way of thinking about the world. The
organization of society is dependent on core beliefs. We see this in our precise cultures androutines, from schooling to our economies. The tenets of our systems naturally become
ones we also uphold. These tenets are threaded through all societal structures—you sever
one end, and it all collapses. We try to conform all our communities to a single doctrine. It
is natural for the cosmos to lean towards chaos, yet we cling arduously to rigid order. Our'modern' societies rely on the foundation of organized systems and structures. Yet, this isexactly what is harming us. Maintaining this order demands that we uphold the underlying
beliefs that comprise these systems. The youth can fracture this rigid order. By being agentsin our institutions, we can play a crucial role in changing our system.
To eliminate needless suffering, younger generations can begin to challenge theunderpinning beliefs of our systems and adopt different approaches. Society does notencourage youth to stop and question if there are errors in the way we are viewing theworld and consequently how we treat it. The youth have the power to become morecompassionate and aware of themselves, to close gaps worldwide. We are more networked
than ever before, yet the threads that tie us together are wearing thinner and thinner. We
are stressing the planet and ourselves. We have become engrossed in a state of constantproduction and activity. It is the job of the youth to recapture the tenacity of love to mend
and heal our relationships with each other and the natural world. We cannot expect peace34

agreements to be made and wars to be stopped if we do not know what compels us to live
collectively and compassionately with one another. Focusing on what makes us uniquely
human starts with the youth. Goals of freedom, sustainability, justice, and democracy areunattainable if we cannot be selfless and love completely. Younger generations have thecapacity to foster an appreciation of the world around us. The sooner we begin thisreconfiguration, the more integrated it can become in our societies. By harnessing thepower of love, we can bring ourselves closer to a peaceful world.
We have created neat plastic containers to isolate and preserve ourselves in. Societies
impose limited, if any, obligations to the treatment and respect of life. We buy our livestockon Styrofoam plates wrapped in plastic, already pumped to perfection. We do not see nor
respect the life that was killed to feed us. We take planes to vacate and escape the stiflingairs of our cities, oblivious to the emissions injected into our atmosphere. We are moreadvanced than ever, yet we do not know how to love. What are we to each other,ourselves, and the rest of the world if we cannot love? Money only feeds an empty heart.
Love teaches us the value of reciprocity, collective growth, and respect. To love is to fully
appreciate something in its essence. If we extend love to the world, perhaps we would
begin to embrace the disorder of the cosmos. Our oppressive institutions can be eradicatedwith compassion. Love allows us to resist injustice. It is a willingness to transform theworld. Imagine what is possible if we begin with the youth loving radically, how the beliefs
that constitute our systems would come from a foundation of love. A peaceful world is
possible if we as young agents, are willing to challenge the status quo with our hearts.

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2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 3rd Prize】

birthday cake candles(Original)
Mira(Age 18, Belarus)
I wasn’t ready to die. Some say peace requires people to lay their lives down for it. “I’m notlike this. My 15-year-old body would not change anything—it would just be stepped on andforgotten”, I thought trembling in the car, passing the protesting people on the streets of
my hometown, Minsk. 2020—defrauded elections and thousands of broken lives caused myrose-coloured glasses of child-like idealism to shutter inwardly—that was the first time I got
to experience the bleeding truth of what peace is NOT. I couldn’t understand the mere
possibility of violence as a phenomenon, but now I stopped denying that others do. With theregime covering my mouth and my heart bursting, feeling paltry as ever but resolutely
unwilling to endure injustice, I started my battle.
What could I do? Find the others that shared my viewpoint and ambitions. Ambiguity ofinternational youth as a stakeholder in the world-game evaporates once you truly meet it.
For me, the European Scholarship Program in Tbilisi, Georgia, volunteering and activism
across three countries and online were the paths to becoming a part of it—learning whatmatters and how I can contribute to the communal goals of improving lives. It was amongpeople like me where I learned the value of consciousness, teamwork, honesty, dedication,
power of care and desire to help others.
All of us, striving to improve our communities through actions, have faced the devastationof the current order: as I’m embracing my friends from different places, clutching theirhearts to mine, warming them up, I feel my body resonating with their pain. Some (meincluded) can’t return home and be accepted, empowered and safe there; we lost (orweren’t ever given) our human rights, whether we belonged to a fragile societal group or tothe majority; faced devastation from intra- and interstate military conflicts — and all of it
created a never-ending blur hurting inside us, but also pushing us to each other andforward. Robbed of the right and opportunity to live in a peaceful world, we keep trying to36

create it.
In school I learnt to verbalise the whole complexity of the word “peace” in one of its
definitions—the absence of war. How sophisticated does the concept have to be, to get theworld to agree on the three single words, continuing to debate the rest? Still, I believe withall its complexity there is nothing impossible for humankind to handle within our societies.
Yet, everything comes to a standstill the moment privileged and powerful people decide
they can determine fates: having studied dozens of global and local conflicts of different
nature, I believe power dynamics is the core plague preventing the world from being morepeaceful.
I might be idealistic, but I wholeheartedly believe that the best we can do is create theclosest state to when people’s individual choices don’t limit the freedoms of others.
Everyone deserves a life with fulfilled human rights and opportunities. I know it is
impossible to be done completely, but I’m just 18, I want to stay alive and human, and I
want other people to, so I believe we can find a way. Every action, or its absence, done byhumankind starts with the mindset and values of the individuals. Through peer-to-peer
education, exchange of thoughts, ideas and experiences among the youth, we can approach
the worldwide community that evolves and improves for everyone equitably. Focusing on
integrating young people in NGOs and other entities of civic society, creating conferences
and platforms for them to collaborate with each other (e.g. MUNs), with the governments(e.g. European Youth Forum), to represent the ideas and opinions of youth on regional &international levels, and further empowering us to take action—is the necessary mainland
supporting the world towards peace.
Blowing candles on my birthday cakes, I’ve always wished for world peace: mentally
reiterating the wish and keeping quiet, or it won’t come true. I used to hope for peace,
thinking it’s the only right thing. I don’t hope anymore, I believe. Believe, because I know:me and thousands, millions of others work for it together. Absolute peace is never fully
possible, but I want to feel it closer, and I know WE'll make it.

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2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 3rd Prize】

Cuius regio, eius religio?—From Blood-Stained Bridges to a Bright Future:
Uniting Youth For Better Tomorrow(Original)
Aiša Muhić(Age 20, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
International University of Sarajevo
It has always been said: kill or be killed. There is no right or wrong option here, just an
option. We as a nation always chose to be on the receiving side of the knife and neverfought against “neighbor's blade“. Balkan Muslims have been exterminated over the courseof ten horrifying genocides that stretched through history from 1683 till 1995. Oppressors
excused their behaviour based on what Church taught: “Outside of Church there is no truth,
justice, goodness and true relationship with God“. How can these words justify genocides
against non-Christians?
God did not give anyone right to take something that is not theirs to be taken. Life issomething to be treasured. Why is it portrayed as something good if it pains anotherhuman? Why can something so heinous be done in the name of something sacred likereligion? Is religion something that should oppress people?
While I was looking for more information on all genocides, I noticed that there was hardly
any on the ones before the last one and a thought suddenly struck me. This cycle will keep
repeating as long as we keep forgetting and forgiving once the 100 year mark passes as if
there is an expiration date for genocide.
Life is like a river, it has its beginning, turbulent times filled with obstacles and an ending
where everything dies down and only memories remain. Every big river has that one bridge.
The one that followed us through many unfortunate events was “The Mehemed Paša
Sokolović Bridge“, built in 16th century. A bridge so beautiful yet soiled by blood of its own
people. Hard stones carry so much pain and anguish that it is a wonder how they did notbreak.

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Peace is as fragile as human bones. Once broken and if it does not heal properly, it will bestrained and hurt every time it “rains“.
No one is born purely evil, but life is not a fairytale with guaranteed happy ending for thegood people. Evil and good reside in everyone. It is up to people and their environment tochoose which side will govern.
Hate directed towards other ethnicities is the main ingredient for misery. No healthy apple
survives in such an environment. It is horrifying how children get affected just because they
were surrounded by people who believed in inequalities based off of religion and ethnicity.
While older generations cannot be changed, it is important that youth does not get affectedby their discrimination.
Once we start listening to what our hearts tell us and stop complying with unreasonable
demands of adult world we will start seeing progress. It will be slow, but progress
nonetheless. Some things have already been achieved through social activism and I believethat everything will be resolved naturally as children do not judge people based on their skinor ethnicity without parental influence.
History is very dark and scary, but we cannot live in it. We have to look ahead and keep
fighting.
The future is being built on new generations, not on the past. The world can still be saved if
every child unites and works on creating peaceful future. The most innocent and creative
ones are those that do not look for their selfish needs and personal gain, but enhancing
overall life conditions. While there will always be battles between good and evil, good will
always come out victorious. Sometimes you need to learn the lesson the hard way. You will
not be able to feel others' pain unless you experience it on your own skin. You should notallow anything to go into the land of forgotten memories, but you also do not have to baseyour whole life on the past. The most valuable thing you could do is not forget, neither
forgive but allow the pain to help us grow together.
Long ago, the world was completely divided based on status, race, ethnicity and those on
the throne made all decisions. We have come so far where young people make huge
impact.
We have to get up, unite and say NO to oppressors, because we represent the bright future,
while they symbolize a bloody past.

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2023 International Essay Contest for Young People【Youth Category – 3rd Prize】

FIND PEACE IN COMPASSION(Original)
Folasade Bolarinwa(Age 21, Nigeria)
In my country Nigeria, the place I lived and grew up was in conflict with other communities.
There were constant terrifying sounds of gunshot. More terrifying was the killing and huge
losses of lives and properties. Whenever the war erupted, we flee to neighboring allied
communities. At the end of each episode of the conflict, the winning side became happy tohave killed so many people.
The questions flashed in my mind and I asked, ‘Why should a person kill another humanbeing and rejoice over it? Why are we killing each other?’ But nobody gave me the answers
I needed.
My community was always at the receiving end. We were the victims of the ordeal. After
days that led to weeks and months, we returned to our shattered homes and preparedourselves to attend classes. Another serious battle was the humiliation and frustration we
faced in school. It was an unending battle for us. Going to the same school with the youth
from the communities that waged war against us resulted to series of bullying, ridicule andmockery. The teachers were aware of this but did nothing about it.
The maltreatment we received in school deeply affected our concentration and our zeal inlearning, as well as our general wellbeing. Many of the students performed poorly in classwhile some dropped out of school. I will not say I was not affected as well.
Rather than drop out of school, I made friends with our bullies. I took it upon myself to talkto them about the values of peace and how great it would be if we live together peacefully.
Compassion was my theme.
I started a practice that drew the attention of everyone in the school to what the values of40

compassion are. The school we attended was poorly furnished and we did not have enoughchairs. The classrooms were always filled with pool of water during rainy season because
the roofs were leaking. This caused us to scramble for seats within the dry portion of theclass. The conditions generated more quarrels, and chaos sprung up. Rather than fight forseats, I decided to go to school an hour early each rainy day to sweep out the water in theclass. After that, I mopped the wet portions, the class became comfortable and engendercalmness and peace.
At first, the students from the feuding communities did not feel free to sit where I did thenice job. However, I beckoned them to feel free to sit wherever they want. The places I
mopped, I said to them, were not only for my mates from the same community with me. I
did it for every one of us in the class. I had compassion for everyone because it was sad to
see us fighting with one another.
I continued working to make the class comfortable for everyone regardless of ethnicity. I did
this throughout the period of the rainy season. Along the line, the other students
collaborated with me. I spoke to the students from the opposing community and those frommy own community to have compassion, love and care for one another. We continued towork together and shared whatever we had. Peace was restored and it spread among us.
Fortunately, the classroom got dried up after the rainy season but the peace that grew
among us did not dry up. We started to visit each other, and our parents did not stop us.
This impacted on others all over the class and the school. Today, we have forgotten theimperfect past and live together peacefully. The crises have also reduced and not as
rampant as before.
Be kind, show others you care. All these are encompassed in compassion. The youth allover the globe could unite to show a little compassion here and there to one another. We
would get there. The youth can correct the error of the past and build a future where people
coexist peacefully regardless of race, age, gender or religion.
If everyone, especially the youth, care and have compassion, we would achieve a peacefulworld we yearn for.

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