All British Columbia children and youth are invited to participate in the Democracy and Me poetry contest to celebrate the importance of young voices in democracy.

The contest, co-sponsored by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the legislative assembly of British Columbia, encourages young British Columbians to create spoken-word and page-poetry pieces that share their voices and views on community and democracy.

“This poetry contest provides a unique medium to engage children and youth in democracy and further strengthen connections between our public institutions and young people in this province,” said Janet Austin, lieutenant governor of British Columbia.

The contest is open to all kindergarten-to-Grade 12 students who live in British Columbia. Entries will be accepted in three categories: kindergarten to Grade 4; grades 5 to 8 and grades 9 to 12. Each group is provided with a unique contest question to help guide creative entries.

“I encourage all young British Columbians to participate in this exciting opportunity to explore and reflect on the importance of youth in community and democracy,” added Raj Chouhan, Speaker of the legislative assembly of British Columbia. “I look forward to seeing the creative talent of our young citizens.”

One winner will be selected from each of the three categories. Winning entries will be displayed in the Parliament Buildings. Each winner will receive a trip to Victoria, which will include a behind-the-scenes tour of the Parliament Buildings and an opportunity to meet with the lieutenant governor and Speaker.

The submission deadline is Feb. 28, 2022.

All contest details, including how to participate and information for teachers, are available on the contest website.

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