Join Us in Celebrating the Winners of the Global Ethic Essay Contest
In February of 2023, the Parliament of the World’s Religions invited essays that engage its signature document, “Towards a Global Ethic (An Initial Declaration),” in the lead-up to the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions and in celebration of its 30th anniversary.
The Global Ethic Essay Contest was open to individuals around the world directly engaging the Global Ethic document. Three prize winners and an honorable mention were selected from the submissions received by the Global Ethic Committee, who made their final votes based on the following criteria:
- Did the essay do a good job of explaining the Global Ethic?
- Did it push beyond platitudes?
- Did it illustrate the Global Ethic in action?
The winners were selected through a blind process. All essayists were asked to submit their names and email addresses without additional biographical information. When the essays were forwarded to the members of the Global Ethic Committee for review, only the initials of the authors were provided. After the members individually ranked their favorite essays, a final selection was made based on their preferences.
Meet the Winners!
1st Place Winner: Audrey Ferrer, Canada
Ms. Ferrer, a schoolteacher in Canada, explored how to bring the Global Ethic into the classroom and how, for example, it could help her students engage with various moral issues like the treatment of Indigenous people in her country.
2nd Place Winner: Peter Anderson, United States
Mr. Anderson explained how the Global Ethic’s principles offer corporate leaders time-tested guidance to improve corporate governance. When these leaders review and revise their programs and codes, rather than subjectively cherry-pick or haphazardly adopt one of various ethical frameworks, the Global Ethic offers objective, historically grounded values, and principles.
3rd Place Winner: Shifa Amina Noor, Pakistan
Ms. Noor focused on the Global Ethic’s strength as a living document and called on the Parliament to identify and add language expressing widely shared moral agreement on the best use of technology and artificial intelligence and how to regulate them.
Honorable Mention: Mala Thapar, Canada
Ms. Thapar, pointed out the power of the Global Ethic to challenge oppressive structural systems such as India’s caste system.
The Parliament of the World’s Religions shares its deep-felt congratulations to the prize winners and everyone who engaged our signature document, Towards a Global Ethic. The essays will be available to the public in the coming weeks and 2023 Parliament Convening attendees can look forward to meeting the authors in Chicago for a dedicated reading of their essays in a special program.
