2007-2008 Contest

From left to right: Kensey Berry, Arkansas; USIP President Richard H. Solomon; Olga Korostelina, Virginia; and Callie Smith, Tennessee

2008 Awards Week in D.C.

June 22 - 27, 2008

This year close to 1,000 students submitted entries to the National Peace Essay Contest while thousands more participated in related writing and other classroom exercises in high schools around the country.

Over the years, more than 1,300 state winners have participated in the Washington Awards Program. Many of these students have gone on to study foreign policy issues in college, or have pursued careers in international affairs.

This year, the U.S. Institute of Peace's National Peace Essay Contest staff organized an exciting program for the state winners during their week in Washington. Activities included:

  • A challenging three-day simulation
  • Meetings with knowledgeable speakers such as distinguished foreign policy scholars, practitioners, public officials in Congress, and foreign diplomats
  • Visits to historic national memorials and museums
  • An awards banquet to honor state winners and to announce national winners.

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