Building upon its successful inaugural edition, China Daily announces the return of its Global Impact Writing Challenge for the 2025-2026 cycle. This international initiative continues to empower young voices worldwide to engage with pressing global issues through structured academic discourse.
The forthcoming Challenge centers on the critical intersection of youth engagement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Participants will investigate how data-driven approaches, technological innovation, and international collaboration can translate ambitious global targets into measurable progress. Against the backdrop of climate emergencies, rapid digital transformation, and persistent socioeconomic inequalities, the program positions young people as active architects of future solutions rather than passive observers.
Eligibility extends to junior high school, high school, and early college students globally, with tailored assessment criteria ensuring age-appropriate academic rigor. The competition framework organizes the UN’s 17 SDGs into five comprehensive thematic streams: Humanities and Society; Ecology and Environment; Economy and Policy; Science, Technology and Engineering; and Interdisciplinary Integration. Each category features differentiated essay prompts calibrated to participants’ educational levels, enabling both conceptual accessibility and advanced analytical depth.
The competition schedule runs from January 12 through May 1, 2026, with registration open until March 31 and submissions accepted April 1-15. All entries must be composed in English, with a participation fee of 399 RMB. The Challenge emphasizes evidentiary reasoning and logical argumentation, encouraging students to transcend superficial commentary and develop substantiated perspectives on sustainable development imperatives.
Organized by China Daily Global Edition (USA), this initiative aims to cultivate critical thinking, evidence-based analysis, and practical engagement with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles among the next generation of global leaders.