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2003-2004

The European Essay Competition, launched in October 2003, invited young people from all over Europe to develop concrete and innovative proposals on the role of Europeans in fighting poverty and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

Click here to read the report of the competition.
The competition was a joint initiative of the World Bank and the College of Europe, and was organized in partnership with the Universidad Europea de Madrid and AEGEE (Association des Etats Généraux des Etudiants de l’Europe).

The topic of this first Essay Competition was:

Radically Reducing World Poverty: what Role for Europeans?

Young students from the 45 member countries of the Council of Europe were invited to focus their essays on the following issues:

  • How to mobilize Europeans around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs);
  • What new mechanisms could be designed to finance development and poverty eradication efforts;
  • How should aid be allocated and assistance focused on the poor;
  • How can European countries be encouraged to do more for developing countries.

    More than 15,000 young people visited the European Essay competition’s website, resulting in the submission of 250 essays. Interest in the competition was particularly high in Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Poland, Spain, Italy and Ukraine.

    Winners

    Kuznicka Anna, Warsaw University, PL; Essay : We must+can+act now
    Alba Aguilera Ruben Jesus, College of Europe, BE/ES; Essay
    Talevski Stefan, Universita di Bologna, IT/FYROM; Essay : Talking With the Immigrant
    Daniel Kroos, M.A.I.B Programme Berlin & Postdam; Essay


    Other Finalists

    Anesi Francesco, Universita di Trieste, IT - Essay
    Bieniecki Jaroslaw, Warsaw School of Economics, PL - Essay
    Berkhout Ezra, University of Amsterdam, NL Essay
    Rohal Martin, Komenius University, SK Essay


    Evaluation Criteria

    Relevance to European issues, Quality of proposals, Structure and coherence of argument, Originality/Creativity, Clarity of expression.