A 12-year-old girl from Taiwan has won first prize in the “Voices of Future Generations” writing competition. The competition was initiated by the World Future Council and organized in partnership with the United Nations to mark the 25th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This is the first time that the Voices of Future Generations competition has included Asian writers. An entry by 12 year-old Taiwanese contestant Kuo You-yin won first prize out of 100 entries from across Asia,.
Kuo’s work talks about how a beautiful homeland is now full of betel nut trees, and the shallow-rooted trees have little to grip the rocks and soil to prevent them from crumbling on homes during mudslides. The work also describes the efforts residents make to restore the biodiversity of the region.
Kuo’s Chinese-language entry will be translated into the UN’s five other official languages. She will be invited to attend the UN assembly in September.