Submit (Now) to the Sea of Words Literary Contest

This came via Ursula over at the Arabist; a suggestion for our readers who may be writers (and under 30).

From the contest organizers European Institute of the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation:

We encourage the production of short stories that portray the different realities of the Euro-Mediterranean region from the point of view of the young people who live there, through the organisation of a Euro-Med short story competition.

This year, the theme is justice, equality and inclusion in the Mediterranean and in Europe in line with the objectives of the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion.

Applicants must be under 30 years of age and residents in one of the forty three countries of the Union for the Mediterranean, and write in one of the languages of the countries of the Union for the Mediterranean.

The short-stories should be submitted by e-mail before midnight (Spain Local Time) 15 September 2010.

For more information, please visit the competition website.

They note that 20 writers will receive prizes, but don’t mention a financial award so much as international workshops. But: “Both for the awards ceremony in Barcelona and the international workshops, the organisers will cover travel, food and accommodation expenses.”

I do hope they mean for authors to interpret the theme somewhat broadly, as stories directly about inclusion and combating poverty might be a little eye-numbing.

In any case, it can’t hurt you to submit (in Arabic, English, French, or whatever Mediterranean language moves you)!