Deadline: 14 February 2025
Young writers between the ages of 15 and 18 are invited to participate in the ECA-sponsored International Writing Program – Between the Lines (BTL): Peace and the Writing Experience residency program in Iowa City.
The International Writing Program (IWP) has designed this dynamic program focused on emerging voices and peaceful youth empowerment. BTL nominees should be able to travel to the U.S. independently with a chaperone and/or in a small group. BTL participants will be required to attend all in-person workshops, seminars, and cultural exchange sessions during the two-week program. There will be no virtual programming options. All program activities will be in English and will include creative writing workshops, group and individual writing assignments, world literature seminars, cultural visits, and other local events. Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate and the IWP will publish the students’ writings as an anthology. IWP will cover program costs as well as travel, per diem, and other expenses associated with the young writers’ and chaperones’ stay in the United States.
Duration
- July 12 – July 26, 2025.
Eligibility Criteria
- The program is designed for talented young writers who show promise to become future literary figures in their respective countries and in their native languages. Students must be between the ages of 15-18 as of July 12, 2025, proficient in English (reading, writing, and speaking), and able to participate effectively in intercultural exchange. All applicants must supply the following:
- A writing sample of 6–8 pages of original prose (creative fiction/ nonfiction) and/or poetry in English. Critical essays (book reports, academic reports, and so forth) will not be accepted; submissions may be one cohesive piece or several pieces of creative work to meet this requirement. Poems may be single-spaced with multiple poems per page. Document types accepted: PDF, DOC, DOCX. All writing samples must be sent in 12-point font, double-spaced, and have one-inch margins.
- A brief statement of purpose (no more than 250 words), in English, describing why writing is important to the applicant’s life, and what he/she/they hope to learn at BTL.
Application Requirements
- Applicant’s surname, first name (as it appears on his/her/their passport);
- City and country of birth (as it appears on his/her/their passport);
- Applicant’s gender;
- City of residency;
- Country of residency;
- Country of citizenship;
- Applicant’s date of birth;
- Applicant’s email address.
For more information, visit U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe.
