Twin Winners in Commonwealth Essay Competition

Competition joint winner Kang Min Li from Singapore

Two teenage students -- Carolyn Jong from Canada and Kang Min Li from Singapore, both 17 years of age -- have shared the top prize in this year's Commonwealth Essay Competition, winning £450 each. Both essays were the top picks from among 5,000 entries from more than a thousand schools across the Commonwealth.

The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), which organises the annual competition, said both winning essays dealt with issues of light and darkness in life. Carolyn, who studies at Bishop's College School in Quebec, reviewed Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel's book 'Night'.

Commenting on Carolyn's essay, Chief Examiner Dr Charles Kemp said: "There is a freshness to how she writes that thoroughly engages the reader and holds his or her attention. Her skill as a writer allows her to find that satisfying balance between sharing her own thoughts and feelings and honouring those of the author whose book she is discussing."

Carolyn said: "Winning this competition opens up opportunities for me as an author."

Raffles Junior College student, Min Li wrote on the topic of 'A Moment of Realisation and Growing Up', which focused on a boy dying of leukaemia who realises that the world is a beautiful place.

"I chose this topic as I believe it is the most relevant to me right now -- after 17 years' worth of living, I should hope that I have grown up. And this piece was written as a memorial of that fact. Writing has been one of the greatest loves of my life since I was about six years old, and comes side-by-side with reading. The bulk of my stories lie in the genre of fantasy or science-fiction," said Min Li, who is expected to publish her first novel by the end of this year.

Dr Kemp was impressed with Min Li's creative writing style and the narrative used to portray the protagonist's outlook on life. "Heartbreaking, and at the same time consoling -- this writer is wise beyond her years," he said.

Stuart Mole, Director-General of the RCS, said: "This international writing contest, which has been going for around 100 years, is growing from strength to strength. Most remarkable is the quality of the writing it inspires around the world."

To read the winning essays visit www.rcsint.org/essay.

CNIS - Commonwealth News and Information Service Issue 243, 13 July 2005