Poster for the essay contest launched by the Embassy of Spain in China Photo: Courtesy of the Embassy of Spain in China

The Embassy of Spain in China, through the center of education of the embassy, and the Cervantes Institute in Beijing launched the second edition of the Spanish essay contest in China.

The objective of this contest is to promote interest in the Spanish language and culture, and contribute to the development of the creativity and imagination of the students.

The competition is open to students studying Spanish during the 2023/4 academic year in China and whose first language is not Spanish and has not lived in a  Spanish-speaking country within the last five years.  

The participants will be divided into two categories by age, a group for students aged between 12 and 18 years old, and a group for students aged between 18 and 22.

The theme of the contest is "The day I lost myself on a festival of Spain," on which students must write an original and unpublished text of 350 or 500 words, depending on their category. The grammar, originality and creativity of the stories will be evaluated by the jury to determine the winners.

To participate, students must be registered by their teachers and each school can select up to three essays per category. The deadline for registration and submission of stories is June 3, 2024.

The winners will receive prizes such as Spanish courses in Spain provided by Turespaña, the official agency of the Government of Spain responsible for the marketing of the country as a tourist destination, and Mester Academy, a language center in Spain, courses at the Cervantes Institute in Beijing and lots of gifts from the Spanish LaLiga.