_Just received an email about this competition:
ANNA LINDH FOUNDATION :: Short Story Competition for  people between 18 & 30

The European Institute of the Mediterranean and the Anna Lindh Foundation have launched the 5th edition of the Sea of Words Literary Competition.  The contest is aimed at the production of short stories focusing on the issues of children, parents and grandparents facing the future, with the objective of showing the different sensitivities and realities in the Euro-Mediterranean region, from the point of view of the youths who live there.  For complete information, see http://www.iemed.org/seaofwords/.   Deadline is 30th June 2012.

The 20 best short stories will be published and authors will be invited to participate in the awards presentation ceremony and a programme of cultural  activities in Barcelona and Gerona, 5th & 6th November 2012  Travel, accommodation and meal costs will be covered by the organisers.

Triskel Arts Centre is currently Head of Network (HoN) for the Anna Lindh Foundation in Ireland and will participate in the shortlisting of the stories submitted from Ireland. 

Well, yesterday the young editors of the first Euroteen anthology, STEALING SHAKESPEARE'S PENCIL, accompanied myself and Eoin Hurley (the old editors!) to Aras an Uachtarain and presented the book to President Michael D. Higgins!  The president said that the book was 'really excellent' and had a great chat with all of us about poetry and the issues facing young people today, which he felt were very honestly and skillfully explored by the young poets from all over the world in the book.  Young poet Mary Bracken read her poem to him (while sitting on Marie Antoinette's couch!) and then we all had a tour of the Aras.  After that, the young editors went to the Arts Council office where they presented the book and partook in a discussion on the future of young people and the arts - and then they presented the book at Poetry Ireland too.
The day went really well, and I think that we really brought young voices to the forefront of the arts.  The young people were so impressive, and did the project proud.  I hope we have many more events like this, and much more involvement of young people in their own arts projects in Tigh Fili in the future.
As you can see below I took the opportunity to give the president my own collection while I was there, so hopefully he'll enjoy it!