VMPL
Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], February 17: Fourteen-year-old Vivaan Agarwal from Jaipur, India, has been announced as the Junior Winner of The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition (QCEC) 2025, the world's oldest international writing competition for schools, organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society.
As Junior Winner, Vivaan travelled to London in November for Winners' Week, which included educational engagements and culminated in a formal awards ceremony hosted by Her Majesty The Queen, Vice-Patron of the Royal Commonwealth Society, at St James's Palace.
During Winners' Week, Vivaan also had the opportunity to meet Her Majesty Queen Camilla, Queen Consort of the United Kingdom, as part of the Commonwealth celebrations recognising young voices and literary excellence.
Selected from a record-breaking 53,434 entries across 54 Commonwealth nations, Vivaan's essay distinguished itself for its emotional maturity, originality of thought, and courageous engagement with a complex geopolitical reality--positioning him as one of the most compelling young voices to emerge from this year's competition.
The 2025 essay prompt invited young writers to reflect on the Commonwealth and the connections that bind its diverse nations. Vivaan responded by choosing a deeply sensitive and rarely explored subject: the inherited tensions between India and Pakistan, and the urgent need to replace hostility with conversation, empathy, and dialogue.
Through a deeply personal narrative, Vivaan explored how meaningful human connection--rooted in shared culture, music, poetry, and everyday teenage experiences--can challenge decades of inherited mistrust. His essay argues for discourse over division, dialogue over bullets, and understanding over war, offering a hopeful counterpoint to dominant narratives of conflict.
Please find attached the essay document, which illustrates how he uses storytelling to humanise borders and reframe the idea of the Commonwealth as a space for connection rather than conflict.
Reflecting on the recognition, Vivaan said:
"Writing has always been a way for me to make sense of the world and the conversations we need to be having. This essay came from a belief that dialogue--however uncomfortable - is always more powerful than silence or violence. To be recognised on a platform like The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition is incredibly humbling, and it reinforces my belief that young voices can contribute meaningfully to global conversations.
We believe in dialogue and discourse over tariffs and war. In a world that feels increasingly dystopian, technology connects us instantly, yet animosity travels faster than empathy. Media reduces complex human stories into headlines, algorithms reward outrage, and borders harden--not just on maps, but in minds. We are more connected than ever, but that also means we are more affected than ever. Every conflict feels closer, every injustice more personal. Connection should have made us more understanding; instead, it has made our responsibility to listen, question, and talk to one another impossible to ignore.''
During his stay in London, Vivaan also attended a literary workshop at the City of London School, where he participated in an interactive session led by renowned poet and author Imtiaz Dharker, further deepening his engagement with contemporary global writing and thought.
At the awards ceremony, an excerpt from Vivaan's winning essay was read by Monica Galetti, acclaimed New Zealand chef and the judge on BBC Master Chef : The Professionals and Commonwealth cultural figure -bringing his words to life before an international audience and underscoring the power of youth voices on a global stage.
The visit included an interaction with Sir Ben Okri OBE, booker prize winner, an acclaimed poet, novelist, and Commonwealth cultural icon, offering the young writers valuable perspective on storytelling, identity, and global connection.
During the visit, he was felicitated by Geri Halliwell Horner, global pop icon, author, philanthropist, and internationally recognised member of the legendary British group Spice Girls, whose own work spans music, children's literature, and advocacy for youth empowerment.
Vivaan also visited The Standard (London's leading media house), where he met with Tamar Riley, CEO of The Standard, and Doug Wills, engaging in a thoughtful discussion on journalism, storytelling, and the evolving role of media in shaping public discourse across the UK and the Commonwealth.
As part of the cultural programme during Winners' Week, Vivaan was also treated to a special evening at the West End production of Matilda the Musical, hosted in the presence of members of The Queen's family, celebrating storytelling, imagination, and youth creativity through theatre.
During Winners' Week, Vivaan also visited Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, where they read excerpts from their essays and toured the historic venue.
Vivaan was invited for a guided tour of Jane Austen's House, where he also took part in a thoughtful discussion on literature, storytelling, and the enduring relevance of Austen's work in shaping narrative voice and social reflection.
Vivaan further visited the headquarters of Commonwealth Sport, where he took part in an in-depth discussion with Pritpal Surj, Partnerships and Advocacy Manager at Commonwealth Sport, on youth leadership, the evolving role of sport within the Commonwealth, and the upcoming Commonwealth Games scheduled to be held in Ahmedabad--highlighting the intersection of sport, culture, and global collaboration.
During Winners' Week, Vivaan also had the opportunity to engage with Jacqueline Wilson, one of the UK's most celebrated authors for young readers, whose work has shaped generations of children's literature through its honesty, empathy, and emotional depth.
During his visit, Vivaan was invited to the Speaker's House, where Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the House of Commons, met and interacted with him and provided an insight into working of the parliament.
His achievement was further acknowledged at India House, London (Bharat Bhawan), where Mr. Vikram Doraiswami, India's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, met Vivaan and commended his thoughtful articulation of peace, dialogue, and cross-cultural understanding.
During this engagement, Vivaan also interacted with Prem Goyal CBE, Alderman, discussing youth leadership, the role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening UK-India relations, and the importance of nurturing young voices on global platforms.
The interaction also included Mr Ayo Otuyalo, representing the Prime Atlantic Head Office, who engaged with Vivaan on global youth perspectives, leadership development, and cross-sector collaboration.
About Vivaan Agarwal - Thoughtful Young Voice Shaping Global Conversations
A Grade 9 student at Jayshree Periwal International School, Jaipur, Vivaan is driven by a belief in the power of words to inform, influence, and unite. His writing and speaking consistently reflect his advocacy for communal harmony, cross-cultural understanding, and responsible global citizenship.
Beyond academics, Vivaan is an accomplished debater, podcaster, and public speaker, using dialogue as a tool to bridge differences and encourage thoughtful engagement among young people. He is the creator and host of a youth-led podcast channel titled Agree to Disagree, where he engages in meaningful conversations with voices from diverse fields, fostering respectful debate and open dialogue. Through the platform, he has interviewed notable personalities including Radhika Gupta, CEO of Edelweiss Mutual Fund; Deepti Maheshwari, politician and public leader; and Sabbas Joseph, co-founder of Wizcraft International Entertainment -bringing nuanced discussions on leadership, public discourse, entrepreneurship, and nation-building to a young audience, grounded in his conviction that progress begins with listening.
Vivaan has also represented India on international platforms at Debate tournaments, including Harvard, where his viewpoints and persuasive rhetoric have been widely recognised.
An active sports enthusiast, Vivaan plays football, padel, and basketball, viewing teamwork and discipline as extensions of his broader philosophy - that collaboration and empathy are essential to meaningful progress, whether on the field, on stage, or on the page.
About Queens Commonwealth
Established in 1883, The Queen's Commonwealth Essay Competition received its highest-ever number of submissions this year, underscoring the global appetite for youth-led storytelling. Vivaan's selection as Junior Winner places him among an elite group chosen by an international jury of authors, educators, poets, and cultural leaders.
At the awards reception, Her Majesty The Queen remarked:
"I am certain that each one of our brilliant finalists has an exciting future ahead of you."
For Vivaan Agarwal, this honour represents more than a literary milestone. It marks the emergence of a young thinker committed to replacing inherited divisions with honest conversation--and to building bridges through words, one story at a time.
Link of the Essay: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pIMoH94i6P0za3UETs5Kgs8vZOIYAoru-Or6JWKDRjY/edit?usp=sharing
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