The World Jurist Association announces the “Rule of Law Writing Competition – New Generations Building the Future”

The World Jurist Association (WJA) announces the first edition of the ‘Rule of Law Writing Competition – New Generations Building the Future’ which aims to be a space that promotes reflection and analysis on the most relevant legal issues affecting the Rule of Law. This international competition is aimed at young people with the purpose of encouraging critical thinking and rigorous study of contemporary legal challenges, in addition to motivating participants to stay informed, explore current issues and propose viable solutions that contribute to the strengthening of the Rule of Law. “This initiative provides participants with the opportunity to explore fundamental issues related to justice, democracy, human rights and the importance of legal institutions in building free and peaceful societies,” said Angela Montoya, executive president of the World Law Congress.

The ‘Rule of Law Writing Competition – New Generations Building the Future’ is part of the celebration of the World Law Congress Dominican Republic 2025 to be held in Santo Domingo from May 4 to 6, and aims to highlight the role of young people in defending and strengthening the rule of law globally. The selected essays will not only receive international recognition, but will also be part of the debates and activities of the congress, creating a space where new generations can share their ideas with world leaders and prominent jurists.

The theme for the first edition of the award is the international regulation of artificial intelligence, a highly relevant topic in the current context, where AI is experiencing dizzying growth, raising fundamental questions about its limits, responsibilities and scope: “given the speed of its evolution and the transversal impact it generates in various sectors, there is a pressing need to establish a global legal framework to regulate its development and application,” says Ángela Montoya. Participants will address questions such as the possibility of regulating artificial intelligence at the international level, whether it should be subject to global regulation or whether national regulatory frameworks should prevail, or which countries have implemented regulations on artificial intelligence and what their approaches are. Also, what would be the guiding principles for effective international regulation.

In this line, the presentation of innovative proposals will be valued, as well as the critical analysis of the ethical, legal and social challenges posed by the implementation of international regulatory frameworks.

Participation is open to young people between 18 and 25 years of age of any nationality with the condition of being law students or recently graduated professionals and registration can be made until April 18.

The jury in charge of selecting the winner will be made up of jurists appointed by the World Law Foundation, who will evaluate the essays taking into account the relevance and depth in the approach to the subject matter, the clarity, coherence and soundness of the legal argumentation, the innovation in the proposals and feasibility of the solutions proposed, the adequate and pertinent use of sources, the quality of writing, spelling and grammar, and the respect for the rules of presentation and citation.

The author of the winning essay will be recognized by attending the World Law Congress 2027, to be held in Albania. He/she will also receive a commemorative plaque in recognition of his/her achievement. The winning essay will be published on the official website of the event and disseminated through the platforms of the World Jurist Association, giving the author international visibility within the legal community.

The contest rules are available here.