Young people are invited to share thoughts on the climate crisis and how we can all work together to save our planet and protect nature.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 3, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Write the World announced a partnership with Patagonia Monday to host an environmental writing competition for teens around the world. Writers are invited to publish reflections on how they are experiencing and fighting back against the climate and environmental crisis in their communities. The competition will be open through Earth Day on April 22, 2024.
Climate change and environmental degradation are urgent and difficult challenges that impact every country and community. The decisions that policymakers, businesses and other leaders make today will deeply affect younger generations. The environmental writing competition is designed to highlight the ways young people are embracing the outdoors in a digital age, grappling with the climate crisis, and speaking up for their collective future.
"Throughout history, young people have been catalysts for transformative change," says David Weinstein, Founder & CEO of Write the World, a free online writing community of over 100,000 teenagers in 120 countries. "This international competition brings the diverse voices of teens together — to express common connections with nature's beauty and shared passions to protect the environment they will inherit."
The Earth Day competition exemplifies Write the World's mission to help young people become global citizens and to advance writing as a pathway for changing the world, one word at a time. Patagonia's support and collaboration is part of the company's longstanding commitment to climate and environmental activism.
"We're getting behind this Earth Day writing competition to encourage young people around the world to share their connections to nature and their courage in the face of climate breakdown," says Brad Wieners, Patagonia's editorial director. "We need everyone to wake up to the threats we're all facing, and we have always believed that effective advocacy is grounded in self-expression. We can't wait to read new writing that expresses the beauty and fragility — and resilience — of our home planet."
Write the World and Patagonia invite writing submissions from teenagers around the world, ages 13-19, starting Monday, April 1, 2024 and closing on Monday, April 22, 2024. Writers will explore their relationship with nature and how a changing climate and environment impacts their lives, family, communities, and future. The competition is free to enter and all submissions will be published on the Write the World website, where its international community of young writers will be able to provide peer reviews. Winning submissions will be selected by Jennifer Sahn, a long-time friend of Patagonia and current Editor in Chief at High Country News. writetheworld.org/competitions.
About Write the World
Write the World, Inc. is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization founded at Harvard University in 2012. The organization offers online writing programs and supports a vibrant community of over 100,000 teenage writers and their educators from 120 countries. Write the World's mission is to support young writers, directly and through their educators, to develop the writing and critical thinking skills essential to achieve success in school, career, and life. The organization also offers college essay services, monthly writing competitions, writing workshops, and teacher resources. Learn more and sign up at writetheworld.org
About Patagonia
We're in business to save our home planet. Founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1973, Patagonia is an outdoor apparel company based in Ventura, California. As a certified B Corporation and a founding member of 1% for the Planet, the company is recognized internationally for its product quality and environmental activism, as well as its contributions of more than $230 million to environmental organizations. Its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid as dividends to protect the planet.
Media Contacts
Michelle Levine, Write the World, 1 (508) 319-9518, michelle@writetheworld.org, www.writetheworld.org
Calli Wright, Write the World, 1 (508) 319-9518, calli@writetheworld.org, writetheworld.org