|

Essay competition on Kashmir conflict

Articles, Uncategorised
World Kashmir Awareness (WKA) — a Kashmir advocacy group, based in the United States — is sponsoring an essay contest on the subject of Kashmir. The contest is open to all individuals across the globe.
 
The contestants must focus on the following topic:
 
Do Kashmiris have a right to Self-Determination?
 
Essay Competition Rules & Guidelines:
 
1.          A panel of three judges will consider all submissions, regardless of the ideological inclinations of the writers, as long as their positions do in fact support the ideals and principles of peoples’ right to self-determination and democratic norms. 
 
2.         The contestants should recommend potential peaceful solution to the Kashmir conflict.
 
3.         Such potential solutions should include, but not be limited to, elements of conflict resolution, international mediation and negotiation, respect for international law and human dignity, religious pluralism and established democratic processes for the civil society. 
 
4.         The contestants should clearly address the topic and complement their arguments with appropriate objective criteria. 
 
5.         Opinions and recommendations must exclusively be those of the writers and not copied from others.     
 
6.         The top three essays will be published in the World Kashmir Awareness website and will also be sent for possible publication in news outlets.
 
7.         The length of the essay should be between 1,800 to 2,000 words.
 
8.         The deadline for the online submission of the essay is midnight of Sunday, August 24, 2014
 
9.         The following prizes will be awarded to the winners of the contest.
 
Category 1:   Adults:  20 years and older:
 
Top three winners from this category will be awarded Rs. 20,000, 15,000 and 10,000, respectively for the first, second and the third place.
 
Category 2:   Undergraduate:  Under 20 years:
 
Top three winners will be awarded Rs.15,000, 10,000 and 5,000, respectively for the first, second and the third place.
 
(If the winner resides outside the Subcontinent, s/he will be awarded equivalent amount in U.S. dollars).

10.      All essays will become the property of the WKA.
 
11.       Any enquiries about the essays should be directed to: essay@kashmirawareness.org
 
12.      To know more about World Kashmir Awareness, please visit: World Kashmir Awareness Forum
 
 
 

Similar Posts

  • |

    Kashmir: Urgency in dialogue process

    “All of us remain concerned that the issue of Jammu and Kashmir should be solved through peaceful negotiations and should be willing to lend all the strength we have to the resolution of this matter.” President Nelson Mandela at the NAM Summit – September 2, 1998

    In matters of international conflict resolution, that can only imply the involvement of a third party mediator or facilitator. If Ashok and Ahmad can’t put Humpty Dumpty back together because they can’t agree on where the pieces go, then Sam, a specialist in eggshell reconstruction, should be called upon in order for differences to be resolved. Most importantly, without a third party’s impartial diligence in pursuing a settlement, breakdowns in lines of communication or other disputes that may arise will inevitably create barriers to resolution, and the process will fail. The side in the dispute which offers initiatives will always be seen as weak when both are out rattling their sabres; hence no progress can be made.

  • |

    Ambassador Yusuf Buch: A Living Legend

    It is with sadness to announce that Ambassador Yusuf Buch has been hospitalized in New York City. Please pray for his early recovery. “Oh Allah! The Sustainer of Mankind! Remove the illness, cure the disease. You are the One Who cures. There is no cure except Your cure. Grant us a cure that leaves no illness.” Ameen! Al-Hadith.

    Ambassador Yusuf Buch is an observer and a direct participant of Kashmir’s struggle for freedom since its inception in its modern form in 1931.

  • |

    Kashmiri Americans Observed July 13th As the Martyrs Day: Dr. Fai

    Washington, D.C. July 13, 2014. The Kashmiri Americans join the worldwide Kashmiri community to observe “Martyr’s Day”, in memory of 22 Kashmiris killed by Dogra troops on this day in 1931. The ‘Martyrs Day’ memorializes all those innocent victims, nearly 100,000, “who have been forcibly silenced by the occupation forces that erupted two and half decades ago,” said Dr. Ghulam Nabi Fai, Secretary General of the World Kashmir Awareness.

    Fai expressed concern over the on going tragic situation in Kashmir because all available evidence testifies that human rights violations are systematic, deliberate, and officially sanctioned. India has given its forces powers to shoot to kill and the license to abuse the people in whatever ways they like in order to suppress the popular movement for basic human rights and self-determination.

    He emphasized, ‘India trembles at any attempt to resolve the Kashmir crisis because she is frightened by its outcome.’ When a former Defense Minister, Krishna Menon, was questioned as to why India would never hold a free self-determination election in Kashmir, he confessed that all of India’s political leaders knew it would lose. And would 700,000 soldiers be needed in Kashmir if the main opponents to India’s occupation were but a handful of outside “extremists”? The question answers itself.

  • |

    Why do Kashmiris Observe August 15th as Black Day

    The people of Jammu & Kashmir on both sides of the Cease-fire line and worldwide observed the 69th anniversary of India’s Independence Day as a black day because of India’s failure to honor its pledges that  it has given to the people of Jammu & Kashmir at the United Nations. This year, the All Parties Hurriyet Conference (APHC) had summoned all Kashmiris all over the world to demonstrate on August 15th, as a symbol of their unity and harmony. Their unity in mourning demonstrated their will to resist India’s illegal occupation and defiance of the United Nations Security Council resolutions mandating a self-determination plebiscite for the 18 million people of Jammu & Kashmir.
  • |

    US court order: Kashmiri across divide welcome Dr Fai’s release

    The Kashmiri leaders on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) welcomed the US court order for the release of Kashmiri lobbyist and Executive Director of the US-based Kashmir American Council (KAC) Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai.

    “This is the victory of justice and every Kashmiri hails the decision of American court,” said Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Chaudhry Abdul Majeed while talking to The Express Tribune.

    Dr Fai is the ambassador of Kashmiris right to self-determination who has sacrificed a lot for the promotion of Kashmir cause, he said.

    The Federal Court Eastern Virginia in its release orders issued Friday said Dr Fai exhibited good morals during his imprisonment and he has been working for the cause of Kashmiri nation.

  • |

    Ufa: Another Opportunity Lost

    One thing is very clear. The statement issued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif representing some kind of agreement at the Russian city of Ufa on July 10, 2015 seems on its face to be conspicuously duplicitous. One wonders if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had some subordinate prepare it, trusting him to convey the intent, but never actually read what was published before it was published.

    Here’s the thing. There are two distinct parts to the Ufa agreement as it is explicitly written. First, It is prefaced with the general policy statement:

    They agreed that India and Pakistan have a collective responsibility to ensure peace and promote development. To do so, they are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues.
    Both leaders condemned terrorism in all its forms and agreed to cooperate with each other to eliminate this menace from South Asia.

    “they are prepared to discuss all outstanding issues.”