Welcome to Coventry & Warwickshire Children’s Peace Poem 2020!
Coventry Lord Mayor’s Committee for Peace and Reconciliation, Coventry Cathedral, SACRE and the United Nations Association Coventry Branch invite Coventry children to write a peace poem on this year’s theme: Human Rights.
We want to celebrate Coventry’s global place as a City of Peace and Reconciliation, welcoming people of all cultures from all over the world.
But peace is much more than just the absence of war. People cannot live in peace if they are deprived of their fundamental human rights.
We are lucky in this country that the government normally respects human rights, and if they don’t there are courts that can make sure they do. But this is not true for many other countries.
We think children need to know more about what human rights are:
“Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.”
Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 26 part 2
That is why we have chosen Human Rights as the theme for Coventry Children’s Peace Poem 2020.
The Prizes
The winning poems will be selected by a panel of judges. The results will be announced in January 2020. The authors of the best three poems will:
- Meet the Lord Mayor of Coventry or the Chair of Warwickshire County Council
- Receive a Winners Certificate
- Read their poem at an award ceremony in January
- Receive a copy of a book in which their poem is printed
- Receive a book token
What are Human Rights?
See these pages to find out:
Inspiration
You probably already have many ideas, here are some more, why not read:
The colour of home by Mary Hoffman
For every child by Caroline Castle
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela abridged by Chris Van Wyk
My Name is Not Refugee by Kate Milner
We Are All Born Free by Amnesty International
The Rules
- All authors must be aged 16 or less on 30 November 2019
- All authors must live or go to school in Coventry or Warwickshire
- The poem must fit the theme of peace and human rights
- Schools can register and submit poems.
- Parents of home educated children can register and submit poems
- Individual children can submit poems provided they have the permission of their parent or guardian
How to Enter
Submitting your poem is easy:
- Register on this website.
- You will receive an email with the link to the page where you can submit your poem(s). When you are ready, follow that link.
- Submit your poem on or before 30th November 2019.
Late entries will not be considered.
Good luck!
Finding the Best Poems
A panel of judges including Coventry authors, members of the Lord Mayor’s Committee for Peace and Reconciliation, and Coventry Cathedral will select the best poem, and the winner will be announced in January 2020.
Everyone who has registered will be notified of the result which will also be published on this site.
Cover Design Competition
We also invite young people to send us their design for the cover of the book. See here for more details.