As the deadline for pre-registrations for the second Vinyl 2010 Sustainable Development Essay Competition closed on 1 December, it was announced that close to 1000 people from across Europe and around the world had pre-registered to take part.
From Finland to Fiji and Malta to Mexico, this year’s competition has attracted widespread attention and surpassed the expectations of the organisers.
89 different nationalities have registered to take part in the competition, which this year is offering a global prize in addition to prizes for entries from Europe. Registrations have been received not only from young people across 27 member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) but also from 62 other countries worldwide.
The 2008 competition invites young people aged 18 to 30 years to express their views on one of today’s hot sustainability issues. Participants will now have until 31 January 2009 (23:59 CET) to submit their essay in response to the following question, “Faced with a food and energy crisis, how can society improve its well-being?". Participants will have the chance to win up to 5,000 Euros and have their essays published.
Speaking as the 2008 Essay Competition pre-registration deadline closed, the Secretary General of Vinyl 2010, Jean-Pierre de Grève, said: “We have been over-whelmed by the response to the launch of this year’s Vinyl 2010 Essay Competition and the willingness of the younger generation to become engaged in the Sustainable Development debate. Such a high number of entries will certainly present quite a challenge for our judges but it is very promising for our world’s future and we look forward to hearing what they all have to say.”
This year’s Competition is being organised in conjunction with a wide range of partner organisations with interests in the field of sustainable development, including this year’s lead media partner: www.cafebabel.com
Vinyl 2010 is the 10 year plan to improve PVC production processes and products, invest in technology, minimise emissions, reduce waste and boost collection and recycling. Vinyl 2010 is a Partnership registered with the Secretariat of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development.
For more information on this year’s competition, please visit: www.vinyl2010.org/essaycompetition
Media contacts:
Chris Welton, Communications and Public Affairs Manager, ECVM, +32 2 676 7443
chris.welton@plasticseurope.org
Lisa McCooey, Cambre Associates, +32 2 645 79 90
lmccooey@cambre-associates.com
Note to editors:
2007 saw the launch of Vinyl 2010’s first Sustainable Development Essay Competition which led to young people across Europe submitting essays in response to the question, “Are sustainable development and economic growth mutually exclusive?” To read the essays of last year’s entrants, visit: http://www.vinyl2010.org/Home/Competition/Theme/.
