lions international peace essay contest

For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups. Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity. The Peace Essay Contest was created to provide an opportunity for visually impaired young people to express their feelings of peace and is, along with the Peace Poster Contest, a staple of Lions clubs around the world.  

Previous Winners

The Australian Lions Peace Poster winner for 2022-23 is from District 201V5 and has also won an international merit award.

School is in session – International Peace Poster Contest

Lions International Peace Poster and Essay Competition

International Peace Poster Contest Merit Award Winner 2022-23 Announced

3 International Awards for Lions Australia – Peace Poster Contest and Kindness Matters Service Award

Brisbane teenager recognised on global stage as winner of Lions Clubs International Peace Essay Contest

International peace poster contest winner presented with award.

Watch Joshua read his 2019-20 winning essay here.

Australian Winner of the 2021-22 Essay Competition

We are all connected by rachael jacobson.

For years we have been connected through music, God, social clubs and groups and workplaces. Back in the old days it was only small groups talking, but now it’s billions and billions of people chatting to each other, learning together, even playing together in schools, workplaces and even just a little chat in the parks. But now we are connected by our technology.

We can easily speak to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Just some tiny little apps can let us speak to people without leaving our very own home, like Tiktok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, even games like Roblox, Fortnite, Apex legends and loads and loads more, but the main thing is that we have used a heap of these apps because of the virus (covid-19).

The Corona virus has made visiting and talking to our families, friends and close relatives fairly difficult because of how rapidly it is spreading. As a result of the virus spreading rapidly, our borders close and some people go into lockdown. Since the borders have shut, that means no more travelling in airplanes across to other countries or states. It’s not permanent, it’s only temporary, but that also means for the people in lockdown, it’s home school and working at home instead of at the workplace or on the school grounds. Also it does mean we have to use our devices to communicate to our friends and family in lockdown in other states.

If we do want to visit our friends and families from other states and countries, we have to vaccinate. If we do vaccinate that’s good but at the same time we could get side effects which could include blood clots and if you have underlying medical issues, you could die from the vaccine. But since some of us have other reasons not to get the jab, we would have to continue to use our mobile phones, tablets/iPad and other technology to stay connected.

As hard as it seems, we all have stayed connected to our loved ones and our friends through these tricky and difficult times. As years go on we all will stick together no matter what; even if we were to win everything in the world (including money, houses, technology etc.). We wouldn’t do it because we love our home and family. Everybody’s different from their head even to their toes, even if they don’t have toes! It doesn’t matter, because we are all connected in our own way. 🙂

Lions International Peace Poster Contest 2024/25

“Peace Without Limits”

The Lions International Peace Poster Contest is one of many Lions Clubs International Youth Programs that aim to provide opportunities for self-development, education, contribution and achievement for young people.

The Contest presents a unique, enjoyable and enriched educational experience for youth and an enrichment of school curriculum areas of learning, creating, communicating, technology and achievement and contributes to further development of artistic and writing skill, self-expression and personal growth; sharing ideas and messages of peace and acknowledging youth positive efforts and achievements.

Youth who are 11, 12 or 13 years of age by 15th November are eligible to participate.

Each year more than 600,000 young people from many countries around the world participate in the Contest – since the initial Contest in 1988, more than 6 million youth in schools and youth groups have enthusiastically applied creative skills, attention to Contest Peace Theme, Rules and Criteria to express individual visions of peace and in their colourful peace posters and quotes on peace.

Contest Peace Theme, Rules and Conditions

Lions Clubs worldwide sponsor schools and youth groups e.g. YMCA, Scouts, Guides and other organised youth groups for the Contest. Members of a Leo Group may participate in the LIPP/EC through their school’s or community youth group’s participation in the Contest.

• Youth who are 11, 12 or 13 years of age by 15th November of year of Contest.
• Each year the Contest features a specific Peace Theme. The Peace Theme for 2024-25 Lions International Peace Poster Contest is “Peace Without Limits”
• One entry per student and each entry work of only one student
• Art work must be individual student’s original creation – no duplicates are accepted
• Art paper: to be flexible material so that it can be rolled up for mailing tube.
• Do not fold poster
• Art work size: N0 smaller than 33cm x 50cm (13inch x 20 inch), No larger than 50cm x 60cm (20 inch x 24 inch)
• Do not mat, frame or laminate art work
• All media accepted – note: chalk, charcoal and pastel entries should be sealed with a fixative spray to prevent smearing.
• Three-dimensional entries are not accepted
• Nothing may be glued, stapled or attached to the art work in any way.
• The use lettering in any language or numbering on the front of the poster, in any language, is not allowed.
• All artists initials or signatures can be written on the back of the poster (upper right or left side of art work)

Conditions:

• Participants accept all responsibility for late, loss, misdirected or illegible entries. Entries sent with insufficient postage will be disqualified. Lions Clubs International is not responsible for entries damaged destroyed or lost during the judging process. International Entries – cannot be acknowledged or returned, they become the property of Lions Clubs International upon receipt. Peace Poster images cannot be used without written permission from Lions Clubs International.
• In consideration for the opportunity to enter the Peace Poster Contest, participants agree to allow Lions Clubs International to use their names and photographs for promotional and publicity purposes. In addition, the International Grand Prize Winner, two family members (one being a parent or legal guardian) and the sponsoring club president or a club member (as designated by the sponsoring club president) are required to attend an Award Ceremony on Lions Day at the United Nations (subject to change). An International Grand Prize winner is not eligible to receive subsequent prizes in future Peace Poster Contests sponsored by Lions Club International. By entering, participants agree to be bound by these rules and the decisions of the judges and Lions International.
• Lions Clubs International may cancel the contest without notice at any time. The contest is void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.

Judging Process

Judging of Peace Posters is conducted at several levels – Club, District, Multiple District and International

Judges/Judging Panel – an appropriate individual such as the school principal, youth group leader, local artist, club representative or a panel of judges select winning peace poster.

Suggestions for Club and District judging

Club Level – judges select 1 Winning Peace Poster and 2 Honourable Mention Peace Posters

District level – judges select 1 Winning Peace Poster and 1 Honourable Mention Peace Poster

At Multiple District – judges select 1 Winning Peace Poster and 1 Highly Commended

At International level, panel of judges select 24 finalists – 1 Grand Prize Winner and 23 Merit Award Achievers.

Judging Criteria:

Peace Posters selected to advance to the next level of judging must meet all the requirements as outline in the Contest Rules, Conditions and evaluated on level of Originality, Artistic Merit and Expression of Peace Theme – this year’s Contest Peace Theme is “Peace Without Limits”.

Forwarding Winning Peace Poster to next level of judging.

After the winning peace poster is selected, it must be prepared and forwarded for the next level of judging. Clubs that sponsor more than 1 school/youth group must have purchased 1 Kit per school or youth group sponsored e.g. a Club which is sponsoring 3 schools will need to have purchased 3 kits (1 per school) and therefore will have 3 winning peace posters (1 winner per school) to forward to next level of judging.

Each Winning Peace Poster must have a Winner Sticker placed on the back of the Peace Poster at the bottom right hand corner. Completion of details as follows:

• WINNER STICKER
• Section 1 – to be completed by school, parent/guardian/student, QUOTE ON PEACE: student’s quote on peace written by student.
• Section 2 – Completed by Club President.
• Section 3 – Completed by District Governor
• Section 4 – Completed by Multiple District Council Chairperson
• Please follow directions on Winner Sticker. #Posters without completed Winner Sticker will be disqualified. Reproduction of Sticker is not permitted.
• Peace Posters much meet deadlines as set out in LIPP/EC Timeline – please see Timeline.

Acknowledgement, Encouragement, Awards

The Lions International Peace Poster Contest is not only about the promotion of world peace and international understanding and increasing awareness and improved attitude towards others; the Contest is also about encouraging youth to perform at personal best, it acknowledges youths’ positive efforts and achievements and generates increase of self-esteem and confidence in youth so that they may meet further challenges.

Certificates, Prizes, Award Presentations:

The Lions International Peace Poster Kit has an Achievement Certificate for the Winner and a Certification of Appreciation which is to be presented by Lions Club to the school/youth group.

Clubs and Districts may organise prizes for Winners and Honourable Mention achievers and organise a special award ceremony/presentation. Clubs and Districts may wish to arrange with schools/youth groups to visit school/youth group for award presentation or alternatively, Clubs and Districts may wish to invite youth, families and school/youth group representatives to Club or District award presentation.

The Certificate of Participation is to acknowledge, encourage and reward all young people that participate in the Lions International Peace Poster/Essay Contest and complete/submit a peace poster or essay for judging at Club level.

International Awards:

Grand Prize Winner receives a trip to an award ceremony where he/she receives $5,000 (or equivalent) and an award. Two family members (one being the winner’s parent or legal guardian) and the sponsoring Lions Club President or Club member (as designated by Club President) will accompany the winner to the award ceremony. 23 Merit Award achievers receive US$500 and Certificate of Achievement.

Promotion of Peace Message throughout the world

The message of world peace and international understanding is promoted throughout the world through displays of Peace Posters, Quotes of Peace and Essays in schools, youth groups and local communities and social media worldwide. Lions Clubs and Districts promote Contest – Clubs and District website and other media, local newspaper and organize local peace poster and essay displays.

Peace Poster/Essay Contest timeline –

As a guideline, dates for Club judging need to be completed by 30 October, District by 15 November, MD judging to take place end of November. Each year , each district has their deadlines and Clubs should liaise with District Officers to make sure that they have posters/Essays to deadlines on time.

Students ages 11, 12 or 13 as of November 15 are eligible to participate in the International Peace Poster Contest. Entries not meeting the following deadlines will be disqualified.

• January 15: Kits go on sale from the Club Supplies Sales Department at International Headquarters.
• October 1: Deadline to purchase kits from the Lions Shop .
• Mid-October :Club to send one winning poster and /or essay to District Chairperson.
• Late October to Early November: District Governor or District Chairperson to send one winning district poster and/or essay to Multiple District Council Chairperson.
• November 27: All entries to MD Chairperson.
• December 15: Postmark deadline for the multiple district council chairperson to send one winning poster to the Brand and Marketing Strategy Department at International Headquarters.
• February 1: International winners notified on or before this date.

Benefits for youth

Participation in the Lions International Peace Poster and Essay Contest has many benefits for young people. Participation provides the opportunity to –

Participate in International Contest Use artistic/writing skills and acquired knowledge to express personal ideas/views and to create an individual, original artwork or essay Gain increased confidence, motivation, self-esteem and encouragement to undertake other challenges – especially when young people view their art work/essays on display in schools, youth group venues, local community and media and receive praise and acknowledgement for their personal best efforts and output. Increase awareness and understanding about importance of world peace and international understanding and respect/tolerance towards other people and cultures.

Lions International Peace Poster/Essay Contest kits

The Lions International Peace Poster/Essay Contest Kits contents include –

• Official Club Contest Guide and Rules
• Official School or Youth Group Contest Guide and Rules
• Participant Flyer to duplicate and give to participating students to take home
• Sticker to place on back of winning poster
• Certificates for contest winner and school or youth group
• Note: forward only the Official School or Youth Group Contest and the Participation Flyer (PPC-3) to your Club’s contact at the school or youth group. The Club retains all other items in the Kit.

District Contacts

Lions Australia District Map

C1 Julie Pickles [email protected] 3 Browning Crescent Parafield Gardens SA 5107 0411 637 513

C2 Ruth Pearsons [email protected] PO Box 1982 Victor Harbor SA 5211 0408 904 574

N1 Kel Kearns [email protected] 160/64 Newman St  Woolgoolga  NSW 2456 0439 427 822

N2 Lyn Matthews [email protected] PO Box 974 Merimbula NSW 2548 0416 001 054

N3 Pam Bennett [email protected] 16 Bendigo Road  Barnsley  NSW 2278 0412 786 631

N4 Peter Perry [email protected] Old Station Gollan NSW 2820 02 6846 6353

N5 Mark Sing [email protected] 72 Washington Ave Cromer NSW 2099 0422 403 687

Q1 Vicki Clark [email protected] 23 Sunnybrae Close Merrimac QLD 4226 0488 183 199

Q2 Peter Phillips [email protected] 5 Bauhinia Street Forrest Beach QLD 4850 0437 391 281

Q3 Diane Unwin [email protected] 94 Copeland Drive North Lakes  QLD 4509 0418 904 999

Q4 Melissa Webber [email protected] 30 Lamington Street The Range  QLD 4700 0407 474 687

T1 Julie Crawford [email protected] 113 Loonah Road Natone TAS 7321 0418 141 236

V1-4 Sue Ford [email protected] Unit 2/38 Hellier Street  Heidelberg Heights  VIC 3081 0414 780 234

V2 Shirley Blackwood [email protected] 10 Ramsay Street Nhill  VIC 3418 0409 140 341

V3 Glenda Paragreen [email protected] 427 Lower Franklin Road Foster VIC 3960 0438 044 346

V5 Katherine Parzis [email protected] PO Box 603 Mornington VIC 3931 Email 0400 045 348

V6 – Michelle Spence [email protected] 7 Pelican Court Wangaratta VIC 3677 0439 504 829

W1 – TBA

W2 Irene Camarri [email protected] 905 Cundinup West Road  Cundinup  WA 6275 08 9756 2024

Lions Australia acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, and their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders both past and present.

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British Isles Member Support Site

Peace Poster & Essay Competitions

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Lions International Peace Poster and Peace Essay Competitions

2024-25 contest theme: ‘peace without limits’, contact details, key information.

The theme of this year’s Lions International Peace Poster provides young people (aged 11-13) with the opportunity to express their visions of peace through being connected with one another.

Students ages 11, 12, or 13 as of November 15 are eligible to participate in the International Peace Poster and Peace Essay Contests.

Peace essay contest

Created to give an opportunity for visually impaired young people to express their feelings of peace, the International Essay Contest is a staple of Lions clubs around the world. Lions work with local schools and area families to identify young people who are interested in participating and who could benefit from this program. One grand prize winner will receive an award and US$5,000.

Each essay must be submitted with a completed entry form. Essays must be no longer than 500 words in length, submitted in English, typed in black ink and double-spaced.

Peace poster contest

For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups. More than four million young people from 100 countries worldwide have taken part in the contest.

Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity. The young artists are free to use a variety of art mediums. They are encouraged to portray their life-experiences and culture in responding to the theme.

Every Lions Club is encouraged to engage with young people in their community to sponsor a Peace Poster contest entry.

Purchasing a Peace Poster pack

Lions clubs need to order a Peace Poster pack to enter the contest. Peace poster kits may be purchased from the MD105 head office (available from 15 January to 1 October). The Peace Poster kit and Essay Poster kit each cost £15.00 plus postage.

Each kit contains:

• Official club contest guide and rules
• Official school or youth group contest guide and rules
• Participant flyer to duplicate and give to participating students to take home
• Sticker to place on the back of the winning poster
• Certificates for the contest winner and school or youth group

Peace Poster judging

Each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit, and expression of the theme. Entries advance through several judging levels: local, district, multiple district, and international.

All district winners need to be received at Lions Clubs International (MD105) British Isles office by 1 December. An overall multiple district winner is then selected, and submitted for the international judging stage.

At the international level, judges from the art, peace, youth, education, and media communities select one grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners.

Winner of 2023-2024 theme ‘Dare to Dream’

Thank you to all the entrants of this year’s Peace Poster and Peace Essay Competition.

The Peace poster competition was won by Isabella Golez Age 12, sponsored by Bexhill Lions of District 105SE

Winner of the Peace Essay 2023-2024 theme ‘Dare to Dream’

Erica June Steel aged 13 with her Peace Essay ‘Dare to dream’ sponsored by Milton Keynes Stony Stratford Lions Club of District 105A

Depending on the location of punctuation Dare to Dream can be said with negative connotations, however it is absolutely critical to dare to dream. Without the act of doing so we wouldn’t have had great achievements like climbing mount Everest, circumnavigating the world or landing on the moon. All of the above and many more come from one or more people sitting down, and daring to dream.

Like many things in life Daring to dream can often start with a What if, “what if there was a form of airborne transport?” Led to the invention of Airplanes, “what if man kind could set foot on the moon?” Led to Apollo eleven and humans on the moon. However, daring to dream can also sometimes result in catastrophe, Hitler dreamt of a world without Jews and then we had the holocaust and World War 2. Putin dreams that he will rebuild the Soviet Union and look at the conflict in Ukraine. Catastrophic daring to dream doesn’t always stem from fascist leaders. As an example, in 1986 the space shuttle challenger disintegrated 73 seconds after take-off those seven lives wouldn’t have been lost if humans hadn’t dreamt of being in space.

Yet despite all the Pros and cons of daring to dream so much good could be done if mankind did it a little more. With a little more determination, selflessness, purpose and more than anything with the rest of humanity, nature and planet earth at the centre of their hearts.

Winner of 2022-2023 theme ‘Lead with Compassion’

Peace Essay Winner of 2022-2023  theme ‘Lead with Compassion’

Dalyzie Simpson, sponsored by Milton Keynes Stony Stratford Lions, who has just turned 14 years of age.

Lead With Compassion

Why should a leader be compassionate? ” You should not count your chickens before they hatch!” If you were a leader, you cannot just assume that your association know what they are meant to be doing, referring to “You should not count your chickens before they hatch” you do not know if all those chicken eggs will hatch so being the leader, you should be compassionate about leading your troop and they should be led by their leader with compassion without cutting any corners. If you com1t your chickens before they hatch, you are cutting corners by not waiting for them to hatch.

“Show the way to your fellow committee” Lead your people down the right path. A leader should be compassionate about everything they want their followers to believe, therefore they shall find a new leader and someone who is more compassionate about everything they say.

People who are followers should want to follow you as their leader because your compassionate about your beliefs and you should want others to obey you. If you were not compassionate about having to lead, your followers would not want to follow you and they would not want to support your beliefs if your feelings were not too strong about a certain topic. Make people of the public support you with your ambitions, hopes and dreams. Help your community work to their full potential and to their best abilities, further more you shall be able to help more and more people because the more people that follow you the more they shall spread the word about your leadership and how compassionate you are.

Let’s take the Prime Minister role, if you lead the public to believe your actions are not considerable of being worthy of becoming a Prime Minister, the public and media will discriminate you and feel hatred towards them because they betrayed the population via there inconsiderate behaviours of their Prime Minister, so they will not support what the Prime

Ministers decisions are because of their actions. The public will certainly have lost hope in their Prime Minister and how compassionate they feel towards their Prime Minster. However, leading the public with compassion and pleasant honours, the Public will listen and understand how their Prime Minister will be an enjoyable leader.

A leader should be compassionate about what they are leading others to believe because otherwise, no one will want to be led by their leader. Supporting others to their best abilities makes an incredible leader. That sums up the question that was mentioned at the start. Lead yourself to be compassionate to make a good impression on others! You shall then become a better person.

Dayzie Simpson – 448 words

Hi, I have no vision at all, including not being able to see light or dark, nothing and my condition is FND and i touched typed this.

Winners of 2021-2022 theme ‘We are all connected’

Thank you to all the entrants of this year’s Peace Poster and Peace Essay Competition.

Peace Poster Winner Martha Gilson

Martha said “peace to me is the understanding of everyone in harmony”

Martha Gibson (aged 12) sponsored by Ross on Wye Lions Club  – District CW

Peace Essay Winner George Dukas

The winner of the Peace Essay Competition is George Dukas (aged 13) sponsored by Hemel Hempstead Lions Club in District A

Whoever we are we share a connection with others. We were all born into a family whose branches have spread over the years, some more than others.  We connect with our thoughts and beliefs with other groups of individuals yet we are unique and no two people, even identical twins are exactly the same. Life gives us many experiences and challenges that affect our being and those around us. We move areas, we see things our families don’t and we react in different ways. As we age the world grows smaller by visiting places outside of our circle. We gain new and different skills which enhance the person we are. We learn some lessons and modify our actions yet sometimes we can’t accept the change All of this is dependant on communications that keep us connected. Speech is the most effective tool as a voice to share. Telephone, social media in its many modes, television and the internet mean connections can be instant and over long distances. The world has become smaller even with space flight. But it is the connection of people together, close and familiar that mean the most. Spoken work is good but a look, a smile, a touch that shows someone understands and cares about another can bring such calm and peace. Empathy with another, an act of kindness towards the needy, putting yourself in their shoes goes a long way to showing the world at its best. The feeling of belonging, of not being alone is the unsurpassed. If we look towards peace in the world, doesn’t all of this mean one thing. Whoever we are and whatever we are we are not alone, we are definitely connected in some way. A huge family of humans who are different but not and who have the ability to communicate with each other, to have empathy and to make their living a better ideal. Lets join together and succeed regardless of colour, religion or language and by or connections work thorough our differences.

The global winner of the Lions International Peace Essay 2019-2020 was Joseph Critchlow, sponsored by the City of Liverpool Lions Club

The Spring 2020 LION Magazine features Joseph Critchlow (page 25):

• Link to Flip magazine
• Link to PDF Download

Global winners

• Current and previous winners of the global Peace Essay contest: https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/peace-essay
• Current Peace Poster winners from around the world: https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/peace-poster-winners
• Grand Prize Peace Poster winners since 1988: https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/start-our-approach/youth/peace-poster/grand-prize-winners

District C-1 Lions

2024-2025 International Peace Poster/Peace Essay Contest

International peace essay contest, international peace poster contest.

For over three decades, Lions clubs around the globe have been sponsoring a very special art contest in schools and youth groups. Creating peace posters gives children everywhere the chance to express their visions of peace and inspire the world through art and creativity.

The 2024-2025 Contest – PEACE WITHOUT LIMITS

For peace to be anything more than a possibility, we need to make it a priority. This year, we’re asking our young students to create a poster that speaks to our world’s infinite potential for kindness once we commit to pursuing the idea of peace without limits.

Peace Poster Contest Kit

To sponsor the Peace Poster Contest, Lions clubs can order a contest kit from January 15 to October 1. The kit is available in 12 of our official languages. A kit is needed for each contest sponsored. The contest kit is available to order from the District C-1 Lions District Office.

Each kit contains:

• Official Club Contest Guide and Rules
• Official School or Youth Group Contest Guide and Rules
• Participant Flyer to duplicate and give to participating students to take home
• Sticker to place on back of winning poster
• Certificates for contest winner and school or youth group

To Order Your Club’s Kit(s):

TO ORDER CONTACT District Governor Lion Dave Leshchyshyn Call: 403-872-0115 Email: dleshchy2324@shaw.ca

• Cost is $20.00 per kit CAD
• When ordering indicate number of kits required; club name; contact information of club including phone number to coordinate mailing or delivery/pickup.
• Payment can be made to: District C-1 Lions

District C-1 Lions cabinet has kits available for clubs to order through the District Office. The required paper is the responsibility of the Lions Club or School.

Peace Poster Contest Deadlines

Students ages 11, 12 or 13 as of November 15 are eligible to participate in the International Peace Poster Contest. Entries not meeting the following deadlines will be disqualified.

January 15:  Kits go on sale from the Club Supplies Sales Department at International Headquarters – Lions District C-1 has ordered a supply for clubs in the District.

November 15:  Postmark deadline for a club to send one winning poster (per contest sponsored) to the district governor.

December 1:  Postmark deadline for a district governor to send one winning district poster to multiple district council chairperson.

December 1:  Postmark deadline for a district governor not belonging to a multiple district to send one winning poster to the Brand & Creative Department at International Headquarters.

December 1:  Postmark deadline for a club not belonging to a district to send one winning entry to the Brand & Creative Department at International Headquarters.

December 15:  Postmark deadline for the multiple district council chairperson to send one winning poster to the Brand & Creative Department at International Headquarters.

February 1:  International winners notified on or before this date.

Created to give an opportunity for visually impaired young people to express their feelings of peace, the International Essay Contest is a staple of Lions clubs around the world. Lions work with local schools and area families to identify young people who are interested in participating and who could benefit from this program. One grand prize winner will receive an award and US$5,000.

Read the Winning Essay

Essay contest Winner for MD'A' is Mikayla Ansley Blyth Lions Club A 9 Mikayla also won for the World, First time the winner has ever come from Canada Congratulations Read the Winning Essay

Archive Info

2015 Peace Essay Winner Makayla, sponsored by Elmvale & District Lions

Lions Clubs International Essay Contest MD-A Winner 2012-13 - IMAGINE PEACE by Alyssa F. Burton, age 11

Lewiston teen wins multiple competitions in Lions International Peace Essay Contest

LEWISTON, Minn. (KTTC) – Sarah Hennessy, a 6th grade student at Lewiston-Altura High School, is one step closer to being an internationally recognized writer after winning the local, district, and multiple district competition sponsored by the Lions Club International.

Created to give an opportunity for visually impaired young people to express their feelings of peace, the Lions International Peace Essay Contest is a staple of Lions clubs around the world. The club works with local schools and area families to identify young people who are interested in participating and who could benefit from this program.

“I’ve always been a dreamer and I believe without dreaming, it’s really hard to accomplish great things,” the 12-year-old from Lewiston said.

The essay was selected by the local Lewiston Lions Club, then by the 5M1 district, which covers 8 counties in SE Minnesota. Most recently, it was selected by the MD5M Multiple District covering all of Minnesota, Northwestern Ontario and Manitoba in Canada. It was chosen for its originality, organization of the essay, and portrayal of the contest theme, “Dare to Dream.” The judging was held in November and December.

“It is obvious that Sarah has strong ideas about what peace means. I’m so proud that we were able to provide her with the opportunity to share her vision of peace,” said Lewiston Lions Club President, Eric Shurson. “Sarah’s essay will advance through the district, multiple district, and international levels of the competition if she is to be declared the international grand prize winner.”

Final judging is underway now and winners will be announced in February. One international grand prize winner will win a cash award of $5,000 and be recognized at a special awards ceremony at Lions Day with the United Nations.

“Our club is cheering for Sarah as her essay advances in the competition, and we hope that her vision will ultimately be shared with others around the world,” Shurson said.

For additional information about Lions Club International Peace Essay Contest and media resources, visit www.lionsclub.org/peace-essay .

Copyright 2024 KTTC. All rights reserved.

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2019-2020 Peace Poster and Essay Contest Winners

While the world has been turned upside down with a global health crisis, the annual Peace Poster Contest seems even more relevant.

This year’s Grand Prize Winner is 12-year-old Zhuo Zhang from China, sponsored by the Shaanxi Datang Lions Club, for his poster depicting a backpacker carrying a torch of peace.

The winner of the 2019-2020 Peace Essay Contest is 13-year-old Joseph Critchlow from Liverpool, United Kingdom, for his essay titled “Journey of Peace.” He is sponsored by the City of Liverpool Lions Club.

Read about the inspiring history of the Peace Poster Contest.

Peace Poster and Essay

LIONS INTERNATIONAL PEACE POSTER  &  PEACE ESSAY COMPETITION

2022 – 2023 THEME “LEAD WITH COMPASSION”

KEY INFORMATION:

The theme for both the Peace Poster & Peace Essay competition 2022-2023 is LEAD WITH COMPASSION and provides young people with the opportunity to express their vision of peace through being connected with one another.

Students aged between 11 and 13 years old as of November 15 th 2022 are eligible to enter the International Peace Poster and Peace Essay competition.

PEACE POSTER COMPETITION:

For over thirty years, Lions Clubs around the globe have been sponsoring this very special art competition in schools and youth groups.  In excess of four million young people from 100 countries worldwide have taken part in the contest. Examples of the International Peace Poster winners since 1988 can be found using the following link:

https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/start-our-approach/youth/peace-poster/grand-prize-winners

Take a look at this link and be prepared to amazed and inspired at the quality of posters submitted by these young people.

Presently the need for Young People around the world to express their vision of Peace is immense and the Peace Poster competition gives them a chance to inspire the world through art and creativity.  Now more than ever Lions Clubs throughout our district should be encouraging young people within the district to enter and let their voices be heard through the medium of art.

PEACE ESSAY COMPETITION:

This competition was created to give an opportunity for visually impaired young people to express their feelings of peace through the written word.  Each essay must be submitted in English, typed in black ink, doubled spaced and no longer than 500 words.  Examples of the International Peace Essay winners can be found using the following link:

https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/peace-essay

Once more it is well worthwhile following this link and listening to some amazing essays submitted by these young people.

TO GET INVOLVED:

If your Club would like to get involved in the PEACE POSTER & PEACE ESSAY competition you can order competition packs from National Headquarters at a cost of £14.00 plus £1.95 postage  per kit.  These are available from 15 th January to 1 st October each year.

Each Kit contains:

• Official club contest guide & ru les
• Official school or youth group contest guide and rules
• Participant flyer to duplicate and give to participating students to take home
• Sticker to place on the back of the winning entry
• Certificates for the contest winner and school or youth group

PEACE POSTER & PEACE ESSAY JUDGING:

Each entry will be judged on its originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme. Judging will take place at Local Club level, progress to district – multiple district and finally international.  All district winners need to be received at Lions Clubs International (MD105) British Isles office by 1 st December for judging with the winning entry being submitted for the International judging stage.

An independent panel of judges will then judge all submissions to select the overall winner.  Judges will come from the art, peace, youth, education and media sector.  An overall winner will be chosen from each category along with 23 merit award winners.

DISTRICT OFFICERS:

  For help and guidance if required please contact one of your youth team district officers using the links below:

PEACE POSTER OFFICER : [email protected]

PEACE ESSAY OFFICER:     [email protected]

YOUTH TEAM LEAD:          [email protected]

By donating to our Disaster Relief Fund , you can help families and communities devastated by earthquakes and other natural disasters.

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Slovenia Teen Wins Grand Prize in Lions International Peace Poster Contest

Anja Rožen, a 13-year-old girl from Ravne na Koroškem, Slovenia, has a vision of what peace looks like. She brought that vision to life through her art, earning her the grand prize in the Lions International Peace Poster Contest.

My poster represents the earth and the fact that it brings us all together.

Anja was one of 600,000 participants worldwide in the annual Peace Poster Contest sponsored by local Lions clubs. This contest gives young people ages 11-13 an opportunity to share their vision of world peace through art.

“Peace is very important,” said Anja. “There is inner peace, which is finding happiness and contentment no matter how stressful your life is. Peace is also freedom from violence. When there is peace, nations and the whole planet can be stable and promote cultural growth. I don’t understand wars, how people can let them happen or what leads people that far.”

The winning poster was selected for its originality, artistic merit and portrayal of the contest theme, “We Are All Connected.” The Slovenj Gradec Lions Club sponsored the local contest that gave Anja the opportunity to participate in this global event and share her vision with the world.

“My poster represents the earth and the fact that it brings us all together,” said Anja. “People are holding on to each other; if one person lets go, the rest of them will fall. We are all connected to the planet and one another.”

Anja was officially announced as the contest grand prize winner at Lions Day with the United Nations in New York City where attendees heard from her via video message. She later attended Lions Day with the United Nations in Vienna, where the theme of the event was, fittingly, “Peace and International Understanding.” As the grand prize winner, Anja received a US$5,000 cash prize and an award. She is sharing the celebration with 23 merit winners worldwide. All merit winners receive a US$500 cash prize for their winning artwork.

“The Lions International Peace Poster Contest allows the world to see peace through the eyes of young people—a valuable perspective today,” says Lions Clubs International President Douglas X. Alexander. “Lions stand for peace and understanding, and we unite through kindness to serve our communities and people in need. We are proud to support the creative process of children around the world and to encourage them always to see peace as a workable solution to the conflict.”

Visit the Lions Clubs International website to view Peace Posters and learn more about the contest.

Shauna Schuda is the senior media relations specialist for Lions Clubs International.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted communities around the world in different ways. To ensure we’re serving safely wherever we live, Lions should follow the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization or local health authorities. Visit our Serving Safely page for resources that can help you safely serve your community.

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Welcome to Lions International!

Hello Lions:

Just a quick message to say I have a few more peace poster kits to hand out (these kits are free to clubs) if anyone is interested, I can mail them to you. The topic this year is "Dare To Dream"

Some reminders:

• contact your local school in the next two weeks to meet the timelines, ask to speak with the grade 7 or 8 art teacher and tell them your club will sponsor this event. This contest is open to children ages 11, 12 & 13. Ask your club to sponsor this event possibly with prizes. In your kit is also a flyer for the Essay contest for the Visually impaired.
• important that the students' art work is done on the proper size poster paper. Artwork must be no smaller than 13 inches by 20 inches (do not matt or frame artwork). Full contest rules will be in your kit.

The posters are due to Debbie Nelligan by the week of November 7th, so I can deliver them to the District Governor by the deadline November 15th, 2022.

Take the poster entries back to your club so they can vote on the winner, and then arrange pickup of your poster through me. I can be reached by email or by phone.

And lastly, if your club would like to donate to this great cause, and help support youth in your community, you can send your donations to the treasurer of the A-15 District.

If you have any questions I would be pleased to chat with you.

Lion Debbie Nelligan -> mailto:peacepost [snail] a15lions [period] org A-15 Chair - Peace Poster & Essay Contest for the Visually Impaired 905 870-7709

MD”A” Peace Poster Gallery

Lions Clubs International Essay Contest

Search | Format Page for Printer | E-mail web admin -> mailto:infotech [snail] a15lions [period] org

Page last modified on November 21, 2023, at 12:48 PM

Sarawakian pupil wins merit award for international peace poster contest

Alexandrea has won US$500 for her poster.

KOTA KINABALU (April 22): SJK Tung Hua Sibu pupil Alexandrea Jong Shiow Xuan has been selected as one of 23 global merit winners for the Lions International Peace Poster Contest.

As a merit winner, Alexandrea will receive a cash prize of US$500 (RM2,382).

More than 600,000 participants aged 11 to 13 worldwide took part in the contest where they had the opportunity to express their vision of peace.

“My inspiration for this poster was to convey my dare-to-dream message and a longing for peace to everyone in the world.

“No matter what background or where you come from, you must dare to dream – even though you may feel like an insignificant speck of dust. World peace begins with your dreams and mine,” the 12-year-old said.

The poster was selected for its originality, artistic merit, and portrayal of the contest theme ‘Dare to Dream’.

“Young people’s creativity and imagination knows no bounds and the Lions International Peace Poster Contest proves that idea year after year,” said Lions International president Dr Patti Hill.

“The world can learn something from each and every one of these impressive displays of peace and we are honoured to showcase the artwork to a global audience.”

District 308-A2 governor Kapitan Ronny Hiew said as Lions and Leos, it is important to stay focused in dedicating attention, effort, and time to kindness and service to make the smile of those we help a little wider and their lives a little brighter.

“By making a difference in someone’s life, we are offering them kindness, love, and even change. Alexandrea’s powerful message reminds us that our dreams, no matter how small they may seem, contribute to a collective vision of peace,” he said.

Sibu City Lions Club president Stephen Chuo Kock Sing, whose club sponsored Alexandrea’s poster, said he was impressed by the expression and creativity of all the pupils at SJK Tung Hua who submitted artwork.

“It’s obvious that these young people have strong ideas about what peace means to them. Their talent and their vision of the world is truly inspiring,” he said.

“Our Lions club is so proud of Alexandrea. We’re excited that her art is not just being recognised, it’s also being shared with others around the world.”

The grand prize went to Fanjin Si from China, who was sponsored by Shaanxi Datang Lions Club.

Other merit award winners were from New Zealand, China, Colombia, Peru, South Africa, India, Taiwan, USA, Sri Lanka, Japan, Trinidad & Tobago, Korea, and Estonia.

Seventy-six clubs from Sabah, Labuan, and Sarawak submitted posters for the competition.

The first runner-up was Amber Chee Jin Xuan from SJK Shan Tao Kota Kinabalu (Lions Club of New Century KK Star City) and second runner-up was Elly Leong Li Ying from SJK Kwang Chien, Sarikei (Lions Club of Sibu Seduan).

For more information on the Lions International Peace Poster Contest, visit www.lionsclubs.org/peaceposter .

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Meaning of freedom: County students win American Legion Essay Contest

Warren Area Elementary Center American Legion essay contest winners include, from left, Grayson Zale (third grade, third place), Elizabeth Rockwell (third grade, second place), Lennox Wagner (third grade, first place), Lilly Flick (fourth grade, first place), Alex Lent (fourth grade, second place) and Sidney Arnold (fourth trade, third place). Also in the photo are, at left, Pam Colvin, American Legion Contest Coordinator for Warren, and, right, Rebecca Downey, enrichment instructor.

That was the prompt for this year’s American Legion Americanism Essay Contest.

Students across Warren County did the rest.

“Winners were selected from essay submissions from the various classes or age bands from each region in the county,” Rebecca Downey, enrichment instructor, explained.

The top three winners in each school received a monetary prize and have their essay now to go to the state competition.

Photos provided to the Times Observer Cailee Williams, a student at Eisenhower Elementary School, was first place at her school in the American Legion essay contest.

“Freedom means you can do what you want, when you want, and how you want to do it,” Cailee Williams, an Eisenhower Elementary student wrote. “Abusing these freedoms can lead to consequences. Even though there are consequences for every choice you make, having the ability to choose is what makes freedom so important to me.”

“Freedom is the basic source of happiness as every other thing will reach us only if we have the liberty to do things,” Lilly Flick, a fourth-grader at Warren Area Elementary Center explained. “Freedom gives you the opportunity to take risks, make mistakes, learn from them, and improve your skills.

“Freedom to protect people who protect us is also important,” Lennox Wagner, a WAEC third-grader wrote. “No one should be a slave to anyone. It is OK to work hard and have a boss, as long as you are being paid.”

“I was born and raised almost my whole life in Ukraine, but almost two years ago war started once again,” Sasha Komina, who took first at Beaty-Warren Middle School, wrote. “In some cities people were harmfully forced to leave our country, and go to Russian territory. If they didn’t leave, they would harm and kill those innocent people.

“At the moment, our country is fighting for our freedom. If we don’t fight, Russia would have taken over our country and they would control us. Russia has different opinions and rules than us that we don’t agree with, and if they would take over our country we would have no freedom (of) speech, no freedom of doing something or anything.”

“I want people to know what’s happening,” she added, “because not any of the innocent people that just wanted to live a peaceful life deserve any of this.”

According to the American Legion Auxiliary, the American Essay Contest was created to “teach students the value of patriotism and what it means to be Americans. Thousands of students participate in the program each year and help promote a lifelong respect of our flag and country.”

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Summer Lee, ‘Squad’ Member, Wins Democratic House Primary in Pennsylvania

A first-term representative, Ms. Lee defeated a centrist Democrat in a race that centered on her opposition to the war in Gaza.

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By Anjali Huynh

Reported from Pittsburgh

• April 23, 2024

Representative Summer Lee, a first-term progressive Democrat, won her primary contest in western Pennsylvania on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press, fending off a moderate challenger in a race that centered on her stance on the war in Gaza.

The primary, in Pennsylvania’s 12th District, presented one of this year’s first down-ballot tests of whether left-wing incumbents would be hurt by their opposition to Israel’s military campaign. After Ms. Lee for months faced scrutiny for voting against support for Israel, her victory was partly seen as a reflection of how public, and party , sentiment on the issue has appeared to shift in her favor.

The congresswoman was winning by an overwhelming margin with counting nearly complete late Tuesday, underlining the strength of her position as an incumbent this year after she out-raised her opponent with widespread backing from Democratic officials.

Ms. Lee, who in 2022 was elected the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania in Congress and later joined the group of left-leaning lawmakers known as the Squad, defeated Bhavini Patel, a city councilwoman in Edgewood, Pa. Ms. Patel ran as a more moderate Democrat and tried to paint Ms. Lee as dismissive of voters who oppose her approach to the conflict in Gaza. The seat is considered safely Democratic in the general election.

A former state representative, Ms. Lee, 36, narrowly won a primary fight in the district two years ago against a centrist opponent favored by the party’s establishment. Her victory was heralded by left-leaning organizations and leaders as a win for the progressive movement.

This year, Ms. Lee, now the incumbent, garnered support across the Democratic spectrum. Her endorsers included Pennsylvania’s senators, House Democratic leaders, labor unions and the Allegheny County Democratic Committee, which opposed her candidacy in 2022. Progressive groups spent large sums on her behalf, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, stumped for her in Pittsburgh on Sunday .

With more than 95 percent of the vote counted, she led Ms. Patel by more than 20 points. Ms. Lee played up that success as a testament that “our movement is growing” and denounced those who she said “wanted to make this a referendum on just one issue.”

“Our movement is expansive enough and big enough for each and every one of us, that each and every one of us can lay down our arms and cease fire so that we can have peace from Pittsburgh to Palestine,” she said.

In the fall, after Ms. Lee became one of the first Democrats to call for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, pro-Israel groups expressed interest in backing a challenger. But a serious opponent never materialized. AIPAC, the pro-Israel group that is supporting challenges to some left-wing candidates and that spent heavily against Ms. Lee in 2022, focused its attention elsewhere . Polls have shown that discontent with Israel’s military actions has been growing among Americans in recent months .

Still, Ms. Lee drew criticism in her district from some Jewish voters, who said in the days before the election that they were unhappy with her positions on Israel. Ms. Patel, 30, also tried to cast her opponent as insufficiently supportive of President Biden. Ms. Lee has pledged to rally her coalition to support Mr. Biden this fall in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state.

Ms. Lee and her allies seized on Ms. Patel’s support from Jeff Yass, a prominent Republican donor in Pennsylvania who gave significantly to a super PAC supporting moderate Democrats. The group ran ads on behalf of Ms. Patel, who disavowed Mr. Yass and his support.

Ms. Patel said in a statement on social media that “we did not get the result we wanted tonight, but this race was far from a loss.” “While our campaign may end tonight, our cause continues on,” she added.

During the primary, Ms. Lee often promoted her record in Congress, including having brought federal dollars to the district, and framed her candidacy around supporting a more diverse Democratic Party and fighting Trump-aligned Republicans. She vastly out-raised Ms. Patel. In the last fund-raising quarter, Ms. Lee collected more than three times as much money as Ms. Patel did.

Speaking to an energetic crowd in downtown Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, Ms. Lee also pledged to support her fellow Squad members facing challenges nationwide.

“We’re going to send a message to our Congress, and we’re going to send a message to our nation, that the direction that we want our country to go in — our coalition — is the coalition of now and the coalition of the future,” she said.

Anjali Huynh , a member of the 2023-24 Times Fellowship class based in New York, covers national politics, the 2024 presidential campaign and other elections. More about Anjali Huynh

Our Coverage of the Israel-Hamas War

News and Analysis

The tents that failed to keep out the cold when many Gazans first fled their homes have now become suffocating as highs surpass 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Here’s how the heat is exacerbating already dire problems  from Israel’s war in Gaza.

Israel welcomed a U.S. aid package signed by President Biden that will send about $15 billion in military aid to Israel, increasing American support  for its closest Middle East ally despite strains in their relationship over Israel’s prosecution of the war in the Gaza Strip.

The United Nations’ human rights office called for an independent investigation into two mass graves  found after Israeli forces withdrew from hospitals in Gaza, including one discovered days ago over which Israeli and Palestinian authorities offered differing accounts.

After weeks of delays, negotiations and distractions, Israel appeared to hint that its assault of Rafah  — a city teeming with more than a million displaced persons above ground and riddled with Hamas tunnels below — was all but inevitable. Here’s how it might unfold .

Mourning Nearly 200 Relatives: Adam and Ola Abo Sheriah absorb a loss few can imagine, and scramble to help surviving family members  in Gaza while trying to get their kids to their New Jersey school on time.

A Generational Clash on Seder: At Passover Seders, many families addressed the war in Gaza , leading to rising tensions, while 200 New Yorkers from pro-Palestinian Jewish groups were arrested after rallying  near Chuck Schumer’s home to protest aid to Israel.

PEN America’s Fallout: The free expression group PEN America has canceled its 2024 literary awards ceremony following months of escalating protests over the organization’s response to the war in Gaza , which has been criticized as overly sympathetic to Israel.

Fears Over Iran Buoy Netanyahu: The Israeli prime minister lost considerable support after the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks on Israel. Tensions with Iran have helped him claw  some of it back.