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'My Hero' Essay Competition 2025: British Embassy Budapest

We invite young people living in Hungary to participate in an essay competition under the theme 'My Hero', commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust.

Honouring bravery and inspiration from the Holocaust, 80 years on.

To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Holocaust in Hungary, the British Embassy in Budapest invites young people living in Hungary aged 16 to 25 to participate in an essay competition in English under the theme 바카라 사이트˜My Hero바카라 사이트™.

This is your chance to reflect on personal stories of bravery and inspiration from individuals 바카라 사이트“ past or present 바카라 사이트“ whose courage and values inspire you today.

We would love to read your essays about Holocaust survivors, heroes of resistance or individuals who stood up against hatred, including family members, neighbours or individuals whose small acts of courage made a difference.

Essay guidelines

  • essays must be written in English
  • length: 800 to 1,000 words (10 to 15% variation acceptable)
  • submissions suspected of being generated by Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be excluded

How to submit

  • email your essay to competition.be.budapest@fcdo.gov.uk by 11:59pm CET on 28 February  2025
  • include your name, age, school or university (if applicable), and contact details

Key dates

  • submission deadline: 28 February  2025, 11:59pm CET
  • winner notification: by 10 March 2025
  • event at the British Ambassador바카라 사이트™s Residence: mid-late March 2025

Examples of inspiring heroes

  • Hanna Szenes 바카라 사이트“ a Hungarian Jew, poet and British Special Operations Executive volunteer who sacrificed her life to resist Nazi oppression
  • Jane Haining 바카라 사이트“ a Scottish missionary in Budapest who gave her life to protect Jewish girls in her care at Auschwitz
  • Lily Ebert 바카라 사이트“ a Holocaust survivor who dedicated her life to educating future generations about the horrors she endured and the importance of standing up against hatred
  • we also welcome stories about relatives, family friends or members from your community whose bravery during the Holocaust inspires you, highlighting personal connections to this shared history

Judging criteria

Essays will be evaluated by a gender-balanced jury of British Embassy staff based on:

  • creativity and originality
  • relevance to the topic and theme of heroism
  • coherence and emotional impact
  • how the hero바카라 사이트™s story has made a difference

Prizes

  • winners will be notified by 10 March 2025 and invited to the British Ambassador바카라 사이트™s Residence in Budapest to meet the Ambassador and share their stories
  • the winning essays will be published on our official social media channels, reaching a wider audience

Please note: participants must be resident in Hungary. Non-Hungarian citizens living in Hungary may also apply.

By submitting your essay, you agree to the competition rules.

The Embassy reserves the right to disqualify submissions if they do not meet the requirements.

This competition is part of the UK바카라 사이트™s Presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), focusing on preserving Holocaust remembrance and its enduring lessons for young generations.

For enquiries, please contact: competition.be.budapest@fcdo.gov.uk

Let바카라 사이트™s honour those who inspire us and ensure their stories remain alive for generations to come.

Updates to this page

Published 24 January 2025
Last updated 27 January 2025 show all updates
  1. Key dates have been updated.

  2. First published.