Essay writing competition on racism

CREATING a platform to promote an end to racism, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation is encouraging youngsters aged 15 to 21 to pen their thoughts, reflections and experiences on the matter and enter the foundation’s ‘Essay Writing Competition Against Racism’.

In its second year, entrants can write essays that focus on one of the following topics: ‘A future free of racism’, ‘Tolerating racism is racism’ and ‘Root out racism’.

Last year the competition saw 745 entrants from across the country express their views on racism through their essays.

Competition coordinator Dawood Raphalalane is looking forward to entries streaming in before the closing date of 16 June.

‘With this competition we hope to get an understanding of young people’s thinking around how racism should be rooted out of society, the implications of tolerating racism and what they think a future free of racism would actually entail.

‘This competition is certainly one of a few, if not the only one in South Africa, that aims to understand the views of young people from across the country on racism,’ said Raphalalane.

Essays should be between 1000 and 1400 words and can be in any of South Africa’s official languages.

Only one essay will be allowed per entrant and essays should not contain any plagiarised content.

Winners of the competition will be awarded laptops at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation’s Annual Lecture, which is held in October.

Entries can be emailed to youth@kathradafoundation.org or (fax) 011 8528786 or via post to PO Box 3240 Lenasia 1820. They must include the entrant’s name, contact details (phone number and email address), physical address and a word count.