The competition to award the title of Young Journalist of the Year for 2014 is reaching an exciting climax in Thailand, with 20 student essays shortlisted by the panel of judges. The two winning entries will be announced at a special journalism workshop in Bangkok on Friday 14 March.
The competition, which is in its second year, has been organised jointly by Amnesty International Thailand and Regents International School Pattaya. Launched in October, the competition attracted entries from 20 schools across Thailand. Entrants were invited to write in English about one of the following four topics: The Death Penalty, Refugees and Migrants; Torture; or Women’s Rights.
Winning entries will be announced at a special journalism workshop in Bangkok on Friday 14 March.
The judging panel comprises Nation Newspaper journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk and Alec Bamford of Amnesty International. Their task is to choose two winners, one each from the 11 to 14 and 15 to 18 age range. Their task will be a difficult one, with excellent essays written on a range of topics, from sexual violence in Columbia to the Thai media’s portrayal of women, and refugees in Sudan to torture in North Korean gulags.
The overall winner in each category will each receive a trophy, 5000 baht to donate to any good cause of their choice, an Amnesty International Thailand goodie bag, one year’s free subscription to Nation Junior, a five year membership of AI Thailand and the title, ‘Young Journalist of the Year Thailand’.
Pravit Rojanaphruk commented, “Young students are more keen to explore human rights issues than many adults would have thought and it is well reflected in the entries. The competition undoubtedly also encourages youths to seriously ponder issues that would be pertinent to the quality of their future world.”
Andrew Chambers, who organised the competition on behalf of Regents, commented, “I’ve been impressed by the quality of this year’s essays. Students were encouraged to include a balance of factual information and their own feelings and opinions, and that’s precisely what we see with the successful entries.”
