We are pleased to present your colleagues and associates with an opportunity to participate in an international essay contest on “Religious Freedom in Southeast Asia and the West,” jointly organized by the Institute for Global Engagement (USA) and the Institut Leimena (Indonesia), and sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation.
Essays must compare the formation of religious freedom in one or more Southeast Asian countries (or Southeast Asia as a whole) with that in one or more countries in the West (or the West as a whole). Essays can discuss key socio-political factors, legal contexts, individual leaders, and/or major current and emerging issues and threats related to religious freedom in Southeast Asia and the West. Essays should identify examples of positive progress and also examples of erosion of religious and other freedoms both in Southeast Asia and the West, and the practical lessons that might be learned. The contest is open to all citizens of ASEAN countries residing in their home countries or abroad. Deadline for all submissions is 11:59 PM in Jakarta (GMT+7) on May 1, 2016.
Winners will be selected in two categories: Professionals and Students. The first place winners will receive US$2,500 (Professionals) and US$1,000 (Students); the runner-up will receive US$1,500 (Professionals) and US$500 (Students). The winning essays will be published in The Review of Faith & International Affairs. First place winners will receive airfare and accommodation to and from Singapore to present their essays at an international conference on religion and law in Southeast Asia in December 2016. Please refer to the attached “Essay Contest Guidelines” for full details.
We need your assistance to make this essay contest a success. Please disseminate this information, along with the Essay Contest Guidelines and e-Poster attached, to your colleagues and associates as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please contact us by email at: belicias@leimena.org. Thank you for your kind attention and cooperation.
Yours sincerely,
Matius Ho
Executive Director