ICU Global Youth Essay Competition 2025
Update: December 16, 2025July 14, 2025
International Christian University (ICU) and Japan ICU Foundation are pleased to announce the winners of the ICU Global Youth Essay Competition 2025.
This competition invited youths from around the world to share their views on how to make society better. We would like to extend our gratitude for all of those who applied. In total, we had 70 applications from 24 countries and regions.
After careful review, we decided to give prize as follows. We hope that the writing experience you had with our competition becomes an important step for your future and for making your community a better place. Please keep up your good work!
Top Prize: No appropriate essay
Second Prize: Andrews Taran TajOneil (from Kellits High School, Jamaica)
Essay Topic: Service-Learning
Essay Title: "Silentium in Servitio"
The writer will receive 50,000JPY gift card and a book related to the World Declaration of Human Rights translated by ICU students.
Essay title: "Silentium in Servitio"
Life is a chance to serve and discover who we are through other; as such, death is not a loss, but the measure of whether we gave enough while we lived. That being said, life can change in an instant. One moment safe; and the next shattered beyond recognition, leaving only fragments of what once was. I have seen how acts of service, courage and sacrifice test the limits of endurance and revealed truths no classroom could ever teach me.
Serving in times of sorrow and grief, as I did while volunteering at the cemetery, taught me about quiet acts of care and respect, but it also made me reflect on the courage it takes when service demands more, when giving oneself carries real and extreme danger. Standing there, surrounded by silence and remembrance, I began to imagine the experiences of soldiers and others who risk everything in the line of duty, and how such choices reveal the profound weight of responsibility that comes with protecting others. It is in this space between reflection and reality that I found the true measure of service. "Off-guarded, sudden and quick, bone shattered instantly as three bullets ripped through the air, fire tearing through his body before his mind could grasp what had happened. Bones twisted, arteries mangled; blood seeped between his toes, soaking his shoes. Agony was the only thing left, stretching every second into an eternity. In the confines of the troop carrier, the inevitability of amputation was already signed to his name" (Adopted from interpersonal communication, 2025). Though I did not witness this myself, learning about such sacrifices shaped how I understand service to be not of seeking recognition, but about enduring hardships and the giving of yourself, even if the cost is great.
By tutoring younger students in my neighborhood, helping them with reading, homework, and even basic computer skills, helped me discover another side of service. It taught me patience, adaptability, and the art of clear, simple communication. I learned that service isn't always about grand gestures or heroic sacrifice; sometimes it's about the steady, quiet support that empowers others to grow into individuals who they are truly meant to be. Watching a student finally understand a difficult concept or gain confidence in their skills remind me that my contribution, however small, could make a lasting difference in someone's world.
Finally, looking ahead to university, I hope to take the lessons I have learned from service and apply them in a broader, more meaningful way. Through volunteering, I aim to create spaces where students and community members feel supported, empowered, and heard; whether it is tutoring peers, mentoring younger students, or contributing to local projects that address real issues. I want to use my time and skills to foster growth, build confidence, and help others discover their potential, just as I have discovered mine through acts of giving. University is not only a place to gain knowledge but also a platform to turn learning into action, and through volunteering, I hope to leave a tangible impact on the lives of others, while continuing to grow in patience, understanding, and leadership.
In conclusion, through these experiences, moments of loss, learning, and small triumphs; I discovered that service connects us to something greater than ourselves. It turns care into action and struggle into meaning. I realized that true living is measured not by what we receive, but by what we choose to give. Service is the space where courage, empathy, and action meet, shaping both the giver and the receiver. And in that understanding, I know that to live fully is to serve selflessly, to give until generosity itself becomes a part of who we are, leaving a mark that no passing moment can erase.
*All rights reserved. No part of this essay may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior permission of the writer.
Third Prize:
Five winners were named for the third prize. The writers below will receive a book related to the World Declaration of Human Rights translated by ICU students.
Darlene Santoso (from IPEKA Pluit High School, Indonesia)
Right to freedom of opinion and expression "Married to Expectations : Who has the rights to define success? "
Deetya G B (from Delhi Public School, India)
Freedom of Opinion and Expression "The Anonymous Box of Voices"
Kaveri Udupa (from Stanford Online High School, USA)
Service-Learning "How Kalaripayattu and Yoga Bonded Me to My Community"
Shatakshi Lal (from Holy Family Convent School, India)
Freedom of Opinion and Expression "The Courage To Speak When Silence Reigns Is Freedom of Expression"
Tiffany Hillary Chen (from Tzu Chi Secondary School, Indonesia)
Service-Learning "Silence Echoes: Championing Humanity Through a Nursing Home Visit"
International Christian University (ICU) and the Japan ICU Foundation invite youth from around the world to share their views on how to make society better. Each year, essay topics are selected in the areas of human rights and current events. For 2025, pre-register in mid-September and submit your essay beteween October 6 and 10. Apply to win great prizes!
Prizes
Top Prize ( 1 winner ): 100,000 yen gift card
Second Prize ( 1 winner ): 50,000 yen gift card
Third Prize ( 10 winners ): A copy of the "Illustrated Universal Declaration of Human Rights in French, English, and Japanese" translated by ICU students.
| Pre-registration Open Date: | Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 11:00 JST |
|---|---|
| Pre-registration Close Date: | |
| Essay Submission Open Date: | Monday, October 6, 2025, 9:00 JST |
| Essay Submission Close Date: | Friday, October 10, 2025, 15:00 JST |
| Announcement of short-listed applicants: | |
| Announcement of Winners: | By January 12, 2026. Results will be announced on the ICU website and by email. |
| Participation fee: | Free |
| Certificate: | We issue winner certificates but not participation certificates. |
Application Process:
- Please pre-register through this form during the periods specified above.
Pre-registration form
In case we receive more than 350 entries, we may close the registration early. - When your pre-registration is accepted, we will notify your registration number and the form to upload your essay. Please take your time to brush up your essay for a month. Between October 6 and 10, submit your essay in PDF format and input necessary information to the form.
- The essay must follow the designated format. Please see the sample here.
- Before submitting, ask one person to review and provide feedback on your essay (250 characters/ approx. 50 words). You must submit this feedback in your essay form. It could be a teacher, family member, friend, or classmate.
- All the participants can only submit once.
2025 Essay Questions
Essays must focus on one of this year's topics. Select one of the following questions from the areas of human rights and current events.
- ICU's "Service-Learning" program has been a pioneer in Japan since 2002. This program focuses on learning through service (voluntary) activities, combined with reflection and prepares students to become life-long learners who think critically and act in service of others and world peace. Have you engaged in such service activities in your community? Based on your reflection, what did you learn about yourself and the community? To deepen your learning, what perspectives would you like to explore at university?
- From its founding after World War II, ICU has been committed to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 focuses on the "right to freedom of opinion and expression." Have you ever had an experience that made you realize how important this right is? What can you do immediately---beyond posting on social media---to uphold this right? Start by looking for resources in your community.
Tips
- There are no right answers to these questions; we are not looking for essays that propose the "correct" solutions that already exist. We want to learn about YOUR original ideas. As you write, start by reflecting on your own experience, think about what the problem is, and then write your own opinion.
- A good essay has a good thesis and organized arguments (introduction, body, and conclusion).
How to Write
Language: Essays must be written in English.
Word Limit: No more than 650 words, excluding essay title and works cited
Essay Title: Essays must have a title. Please create a title that best describes the essence of your essay. The title does not count towards the word limit.
Essays must abide by the ICU Policy on Academic Integrity and ICU's Perspective on the Use of Generative AI by Students.
Eligibility
Applicants must be aged 15-17 as of September 19, 2025 (inclusive) and must currently reside outside of Japan. Students enrolled in a post-secondary education as of October 9, 2025 are ineligible to apply.
How are essays evaluated?
A group of judges from ICU and the Japan ICU Foundation will evaluate all essays using the following factors:
- Thesis
- Supporting arguments
- Originality
- Execution of writing (Audience/Coherence/Clarity/Grammar/Style)
All essays will be checked for plagiarism as well as AI generators checker.
An essay will be disqualified if:
- It does not address the topic.
- It does not include a title.
- An applicant covers more than one topic.
- It is not the applicant's original work (including the use of AI).
Please Note
The winners' full name, essay, title, school name, and location will be shared on the Global Youth Essay Competition website. Other information may be displayed upon receiving consent from winners and their guardians.
Past Winners
Visit the website below to read the winners' essays.
Result of 2024
Result of 2023
Result of 2022
Result of 2021
About the Organizers
International Christian University is a leading private university characterized by its bilingual (Japanese/English) liberal arts education in Tokyo, Japan. From its establishment in 1953, ICU has aimed to educate students in an international setting to be stewards of a just and peaceful world. Visit Website.
ICU Website
The Japan ICU Foundation is an independent educational foundation based in New York City. Its mission is to work with International Christian University to nurture global citizens who contribute to the well-being of humanity. Visit Website.
JICUF Website
Contact
ICU Public Relations Office
TEL: +81-422-33-3058
EMAIL: ICU-Essay@icu.ac.jp
FAQs
- How do I submit my essay?
- You should first sign up to the pre-registration form. Then, please submit your essay online to the designated folder you recieve by email. Please see above for the specific time and date and format.
- I am 17 years old now. Am I eligible to apply?
- If you are 17 years old on September 19, 2025, the last date of pre-registration, you are eligible to apply. Please also note that if you will be attending post-secondary education by September 19, 2025, you are not eligible to apply.
- Should I cite my sources?
- Although this essay competition is not aimed to look at your research skills, you must cite the source of any quotes, ideas, thoughts, or words in your essay that are not your own. This can be done by including in-text citations (which count toward the 650-word limit). Additionally, you may include full citations (which DO NOT count toward the word limit) in the Works Cited or Bibliography. MLA and APA styles are recommended. Failure to identify non-original material will result in disqualification.
- May I receive a certificate of participation?
- You may not receive a certificate of participation, only winners.
- Can I use a translator?
- No. We cannot accept an essay that is translated as a whole because it will not be your original work.
- My high school includes "college" in its name. Can I apply?
- Yes. If your school is designated as secondary education in your country, you are eligible. The name of your school does not matter in this case.