Hungarian refugees arriving in Canada after the 1956 Revolution (Courtesy of the University of Manitoba Archives)

A new essay competition launched by the Canada-Hungary Educational Foundation (CHEF), aimed at examining the experiences of immigrants, refugees and minorities, offers students a great opportunity to have their work published and win one of six cash prizes. Entitled „Becoming Canadian: A Celebration of Refugee and Immigrant Experiences in Canada,” the competition welcomes not only Hungarian topics, but essays that examine any aspect of Canadian multiculturalism. This can include a look at the preservation of heritage languages in Canada, the issue of multiple identities, what it means to grow up as a second generation Canadian, as well as a range of immigration stories. The first place winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize, while second and third place entrants will receive $500 and $250 respectively. Additionally, the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary in Ottawa will offer special prizes for the best entries depicting Hungarian immigration experiences.

As a sign of the 21st century, CHEF’s competition welcomes both essay and video submissions. Moreover, entrants may produce their work in English, French or Hungarian. All students under 25 years of age are invited to submit their work, including those in high school and undergraduates registered full-time at a Canadian university. Students in these two categories will be judged separately and as such, two sets of prizes will be awarded. All winners will be announced in January 2009.

The deadline for submissions is 31 October 2008 and entrants will be required to submit by traditional post both a printed hard-copy and a digital version of their work on a CD or DVD. For more information on submission guidelines and to download the required forms, click here.

Canadian Hungarian Journal