Winners of short story contest to get prizes today

This is a contest for national students at secondary schools or pursuing higher education to write a creative, 50-word story (no more, no less) in English.

From over 1,000 entries, two regional prize winners are chosen, along with winners from each participating country.

The two regional prize winners will be sponsored to attend a creative writing course in the UK, and the country winners will have the opportunity to have their stories published in a new anthology of short stories based on the ESSC.

The competition is based on the theme 'Our memories, dreams and futures'.

The awards are being organised jointly by the British Council and Zayed University with the support of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

The prizes will be distributed at a ceremony to be held at Zayed University today, in the presence of eminent Emirati author Mohammed Al Murr, Vice-President of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

The ESSC concept was introduced in the UAE by Peter Hassall at Zayed University who has taken the concept around the world (from Japan to Korea) and lectured widely on the subject.

The ESSC has been held thrice in the UAE, with an anthology of stories written by young Emiratis produced after each competition.

The British Council has developed the ESSC concept into a regional competition for the first time.