Are you a high school student, or know one? Each year, USIP partners with the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) on the annual National High School Essay Contest. The deadline for this year’s National High School Essay Contest is April 5th. The 2021 topic, “Diplomats and Peacebuilders: Powerful Partners,” challenges students to look at how United States Foreign Service Officers—or diplomats—partnered with peacebuilders to mediate or prevent violent conflict in a specific situation.

Public Education at USIP and AFSA offered this information session for anyone interested in the contest and this year’s topic. Students, teachers, and parents were encouraged to attend to learn more and get their questions answered.