The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has invited tertiary-level students in the Caribbean to participate in an essay contest on the theme “ Inclusive and Resilient Growth in the Caribbean.”

The contest, which is open to students aged 18 to 25 who are nationals from the English-speaking Caribbean and Haiti, and currently enrolled at any university or college in one of those countries and territories, will run to October 23, 2017. It provides an opportunity for youth to articulate their views on how to improve their welfare in the region.

“We hope to engage the youth on an issue where public policies will have long-lasting impact on the prospects for the people in the Caribbean region,” said Alejandro Werner, Director of the Western Hemisphere Department at the IMF.

Entries will be judged by a panel of IMF staff, Faculty of the University of the West Indies, and the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI).

The contest is being held in the run-up to the 2017 High Level Caribbean Forum, co-organized with the Government of Jamaica, to take place in November. The winner will be invited as a special guest to the Forum, which brings together finance ministers, policymakers, and representatives of international financing organizations to discuss growth challenges for the Caribbean.

Further information on the contest rules, guidelines and eligibility is available at:http://www.imf.org/en/News/Seminars/Conferences/2017/09/07/caribbean-essay-contest .