United opinions

Earlier this year, we brought you news of an essay competition for students, created by United We Stand PR. The organisation was proud to celebrate the winners at an inaugural awards ceremony for the competition, held on December 6 at the At Six Hotel in Stockholm. The competition invited students from Stockholm International School to reflect on a timely and challenging question: whether freedom of speech in schools can truly coexist with the need to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

The response from students was impressive, with essays demonstrating depth, nuance, and a strong grasp of democratic values. After careful deliberation, the judging panel awarded first place to John John Nevado. Eliza Friedman earned second place, while Olivia Eussen was awarded third place. The panel of judges were impressed by the high quality and thoughtful nuance demonstrated in all the submissions.

"We created this competition to spark a necessary and productive dialogue among students about one of the most critical issues facing schools today," said Carolina Wahlman, Founder of United We Stand PR. "The essays demonstrated a clear understanding that true freedom of expression requires both protection of diverse viewpoints and a commitment to ensuring all members of the school community feel safe and respected. The overwhelming consensus from the winning submissions was that these two goals are not mutually exclusive, but rather, fundamentally interdependent for a healthy democratic society."

With plans to make the essay competition an annual event, United We Stand PR looks forward to continuing to amplify student perspectives and foster thoughtful civic engagement in the years ahead.

You can view a caomplete gallery of the Award Evening event below.