The future of Asia and the Pacific region is in the
hands of its young people. University students across
the vast region are learning about the development
challenges their countries face, including
unemployment, illiteracy, disease, lack of adequate
health care, and environmental degradation. Many
students are acting to address these challenges in
their communities. They have formulated ideas, often
based on their own experiences in the places where
they live, on how to overcome the problems holding the
region back from achieving its full potential.

ADB and ROAD, with support of the Japan Special Fund,
financed by the Government of Japan, invite university
students to participate in the Asia and Pacific
Student Essay Competition on Sustainable Development.
The rules are simple: just submit an essay on one of
the designated themes via this website no later than
30 November 2006.

To be eligible, you must be a student at a university,
between the ages of 18 and 29, and a citizen of one of
ADB’s developing member countries (DMCs). Since
the essay competition and Youth Forum are part of the
formal lead up to the Annual Meeting, which is being
hosted in 2007 by Japan, Japanese citizens studying in
Japan are also eligible.

Essays must be submitted in English (only) and no
longer than 2,000 words in length. Students without
easy access to the Internet may deliver their essays
in hard copy to the nearest ADB field office, which
will then submit them on the students’ behalf.

The overarching theme of the essay contest is
“Promoting Sustainable Development in Asia and
the Pacific.” Those entering the competition
should choose one of three topics, which may be
addressed from a country or regional perspective. The
essays can address the issues related to the regional
public good based on the following 3 topics:

Topic 1: Do Economic Growth and Environmental
Conservation go Together?

Essays written on this topic can explore issues
related to energy, water resources, forest management,
and/or desertification.

Topic 2: How Should we Develop Human Resources and
Institutions?

Essays written on this topic can explore issues
related to educational and vocational human resource
development, governance, decentralization, civil
society participation, globalization, and traditional
societies.

Topic 3: What are the Priorities for Industry and
Infrastructure?

Essays written on this topic can explore issues
related to globalization of economic structures,
regional financial stability, agriculture and food
security, urban and rural development, and
cross-border infrastructure development.

A jury of distinguished individuals with a strong
development background will judge the essays. Fifteen
winners will be selected from across the five regions
covered by ADB’s regional departments – Central and
West Asia, East Asia, the Pacific, South Asia, and
Southeast Asia (see list of eligible countries here).
An additional 10 winners will be selected from young
adults studying at Japanese universities, including
three Japanese students and seven nationals of ADB
developing member countries.

The 25 winners will be awarded a certificate and be
expected to join and participate actively in the Asian
and Pacific Youth Forum on Sustainable Development.
The costs of the winning essayists’ participation in
the Youth Forum will be covered by ADB.