20 October 2022
German A-level Writing Competition
The Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at King’s College London is delighted to announce this year’s German writing competition for students in Year 12 or 13 (S5 or S6 in Scotland).
The competition invites students to submit an original piece of writing in German on the following topic:
Wie bewältigen wir die Klimakrise?
Climate change is one of the most pressing problems of our time. Rising temperatures are fuelling natural disasters, weather extremes, food and water insecurity, economic disruption and conflict. Earlier this year, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that ‘we are in a life-or-death struggle [...] for our survival’. Yet greenhouse gas emissions remain at a record high.
What can be done, then, to tackle the climate crisis? Are governments and industrial leaders doing enough to reduce global warming? What steps can individuals take to reduce their carbon footprint? And is it too late to prevent the destruction of our planet?
How to Enter
Entries should be 400-450 words in length and written in German. The topic may be addressed from any angle; your submission may take the form of a discursive essay, or you may choose a more creative form. Entries will be judged on the basis of both content and language.
Entries should be submitted by e-mail, together with the entry form, to catherine.smale@kcl.ac.uk by 23 November 2022.
Prizes
The author of the winning entry will receive a book token and will have their submission published in the Königspost, the German-language magazine produced by students at King’s College London, which has a wide circulation among university students and language learners across the UK. Prizes will also be awarded to runners-up.
The winners and runners-up will be invited to a prize-giving ceremony and seminar at King’s College London in early December 2022.