Dear All,
We are pleased to announce the 1st Annual Empowering Afghan Girls & Young Women Speech Competition, organized in partnership with Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT): https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7507066837453475840
At a time when many Afghan girls and women face barriers to education and public participation, your voice matters. This competition is an opportunity to share your ideas and raise your voice on the issues that matter most to you.
About the competition:
- Open to: All Afghan girls and young women aged 35 or below
- Entry: Completely FREE
- Time limit: Each speech must be 5 minutes or less with a 30-second grace period
- Topic: Any social issue you are passionate about
Please note that submissions must address a social issue that is non-political and not highly controversial. Some examples include but are not limited to fast fashion and its environmental impact, the influence of social media algorithms, and AI in education. Submissions that do not meet these criteria will not be considered.
If you are unsure about your topic, you can ask us about it before filming.
- Submissions open: September 19, 2026
- Deadline: October 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM Afghan time
- Awards:
- 1st place: $150 and a letter of commendation
- 2nd place: $100 and a letter of commendation
- 3rd place: $50 and a letter of commendation
- Best speaker: Recognition posted on our social media platforms and a letter of commendation
- Top 5 finalists: All finalists will be announced on our social media platforms and will receive letters of commendation
- Honorable mentions will be posted on our social media platforms
All submissions must be in English. To learn more about the competition, please visit: https://lnkd.in/gwcfFwNK
- Submission form: https://lnkd.in/gwxRyAqt
We look forward to receiving your submissions! Should you have any questions, please contact us at hello@vietnampublicforum.edu.vn
Warm regards,
Empowering Afghan Girls & Young Women Through Debate
(An initiative of Vietnam Public Forum Academy)
and Afghans for Progressive Thinking (APT)