Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Falklands trip prize for students
STUDENTS are being offered the chance of an expenses-paid visit to the Falklands to mark the 40th anniversary of the liberation of the islands.
The Falkland Islands Government has announced a schools competition, with youngsters asked what the Falklands means to them.
Eight winners will spend a week on the islands in February next year.
Broadcaster, author and adventurer Ben Fogle, who will head the judging panel, said: “The Falkland Islands really are a magical place. I’ve been lucky enough to visit the islands many times over the years, drawn back by the unique wildlife.”
The Falkland Islands Government is working in partnership with historians and geographers from the University
We are really looking forward to meeting and welcoming the winning students to the Falkland Islands in 2023 TAMSIN MCLEOD
of Exeter, Newcastle University, and Royal Holloway, University of London for the competition.
Falkland Islands Junior Ambassador Tamsin McLeod said: “We are really looking forward to meeting and welcoming the winning students to the Falkland Islands in 2023 and showing them our home and the unique experiences of growing up in the Falklands.”
Catriona Pennell, Professor of Modern History and Memory Studies at the University of Exeter, said: “Students are encouraged to tell their stories in ways that are meaningful to them and their peers, so entries to this competition can be submitted in a range of flexible creative ways, such as essays or stories, posters, podcasts, or short films. The judges will be looking for creativity, innovation, originality, and challenging misconceptions. Clarity, passion, accuracy, and insight will all score highly.”
The judges say they want to hear the views of as wide a range of students as possible, from around the UK and from different types of schools.
Students might have links to the islands through a member of their family who fought in the war and want to tell their story; or they may have an interest in wildlife and love penguins; or they may be inspired by the Falkland Islands’ pristine environment.
Others may want to dig into the islands’ fascinating history, the relationship with Britain and the wider world, or focus on the ‘heroic age’ of exploration and the Falklands’ status as a gateway to Antarctica.
Other students may be more interested in the modern Falklands and the cultural, political and diplomatic links with the UK and Latin America. Entries are also welcome from students that have never heard of the Falkland Islands before but have been inspired by the competition to find out more.
The eight competition winners will spend just over a week on the islands, on a fully funded and escorted tour, learning about the culture, history, and people of the UK Overseas Territory. The visit to the Falklands is planned to take place in February 2023 and will be paid for by the Falkland Islands Government. Closing date for entries is July 31.
Full information about the competition and the entry/shortlisting process can be found at its website www.falkands40Comp.co.uk.
The website also contains of background information on the Falkland Islands to whet students’ appetites.