The European Studies Center's Europe Day Contest is a multimedia contest for students in grades K-12. Students participating in the Europe Day Contest can submit projects using different forms of media related to each year's theme as an individual participant or as a member of a group of two to four students based on the type of project. Selected student winners will be awarded prizes and have their work highlighted at the European Studies Centers’ annual Euro Fest. The grand prize winner’s school will also receive a prize.
What is Europe Day?
On May 9th of each year, the European Union celebrates Europe Day. This holiday marks the anniversary of the ‘Schuman Declaration,’ which was issued in the aftermath of World War II by Robert Schuman, a French diplomat at the time. The Declaration called for a united and peaceful Europe. During his speech, Schuman proposed a plan to end war between European nations by pooling coal and steel production, thus managing the natural resources of war. The European Coal and Steel Treaty laid the groundwork for what is known today as the European Union.
About the Contest
Through participation in the Europe Day Contest, students will engage in an in-depth study of European cultures, people, history, as well as contemporary issues that are relevant to both the United States and European Union. This experience will help students develop research skills and gain expertise on a topic of their interest related to an annual theme. Any of the following submission formats are possible: paper, poster, art portfolio, documentary, podcast, or website.
Contest Rules & Requirements – This document provides a more detailed description of the rules, divisions, and requirements for submissions.
Contest Scoring Guides – The contest scoring guide provides scoring rubrics for each division by submission type.
2019's Europe Day Themes
K – 5 THEME: The European Union
Students in grades K through 5 can research the culture of one to three different member states of the European Union, the geography of a specific region of Europe, the euro (what is printed on coins and bills and why), or a variety of other topics as long as they are related to the European Union. Students can also research larger topics related to the theme of Global Europ: for example, what are the current candidate countries to the EU? or What is the relationship between the EU and the U.S.?
6 – 12 THEME: Global Europe
The European Union began as an economic union of six countries who were recovering from the trauma and disruptions of two world wars. Those wars began in Europe, but were fought on a global scale. In the decades following the end of World War II, Europe's overseas empires were dismantled as colonized peoples demanded self-government. Meanwhile, the rise of new powers in North American and Asia meant the end of Europe's global power.
Nevertheless, as the European Economic Community developed into the European Union, other countries - from Eastern Europe, but also from neighboring regions - have sought entry the Union, which has grown to include twenty-eight member states (possibly twenty-seven in the next few weeks). In engagements with the rest of the world, member states seek to be united in their trade dealings, but also - for the most part - in their approaches to global problems. This year's theme, Global Europe, invites students to explore issues related to Europe's relations with the rest of the world - from the end of World War II until the present. Possible topics include European enlargement; the EU and "soft power;" European energy security; European relations with China, the U.S., the Middle East, Latin America, the African Union, or other countries/regions of the world; European response to migration; or the EU and global governance (including the EU's relationship with the UN).
Contest Dates
Submissions are due by Friday, May 31, 2019. Decisions will be announced by Friday, June 7, 2019.
Please click HERE to access the submission form.
All submissions must be turned in online through Submittable, an online submissions management tool used by the University Center for International Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Therefore, all projects must be in a digital format. Please review the contest rules above for submission requirements.
Awards
Awards will be given to the best two Europe Day Contest submissions from each division. The first and second place winners from each division will be featured on the Center website, highlighted in our Newsletter, and receive Pitt and EU swag. The winners will also be invited to attend the Center’s annual Euro Fest on August 25, 2019, where prizes will be presented on the main stage and the final projects will be on display.
Additionally, the grand prize-winning student’s school will receive a prize package, which will include books, classroom materials, and other resources.
Winning entries will be selected by a committee of reviewers affiliated with the European Studies Center. Entries will be evaluated based on their adherence to the theme, accuracy, originality, and quality of the final product.
The contents of submissions are the sole responsibility of the creators and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the European Union.