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Enter our competition to be Ambassador or Consul General For A Day 2022

The British Embassy in Ankara and British Consulate-General in Istanbul invite young women, aged 18 to 24 years, to enter a competition to be Ambassador or Consul General for a day

Why you should enter this competition

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and therefore also half of its potential. Today there are too few women in international diplomacy, including women from under-represented backgrounds, whether ethnic, religious, economic, cultural, or personal identity, among others. Women are not represented at parity in political and business sectors.

To end this underrepresentation, we must ensure equality of opportunity and equitable outcomes for everyone.

This is why we are encouraging young women in Turkey to make their voices heard on topics that affect us all. We will encourage the winners to become leaders and advocates for change by offering them the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of the British Embassy in Ankara and the British Consulate General in Istanbul.

Who can enter

You can enter this competition if, at the time of applying, you:

  • identify as female
  • reside in Turkey
  • are aged between 18 and 24 years

Close relatives of British Embassy Ankara and Consulate General Istanbul employees and anyone otherwise connected with the judging of the competition will not be eligible to enter.

Expenses: There is no entry fee. The British Embassy Ankara and Consulate General Istanbul will cover agreed travel costs and, if needed, accommodation expenses for the winners. Winners will be contacted by the Consulate or Embassy to agree this on an individual basis.

How to apply

All candidates must answer the following question:

  • if you had the power to make one change to improve the lives of women and girls around the world, what would it be?

Entries can be in either a written format (essay) or a video. The word limit for the essay is 250 words and the video should not be longer than two minutes. The essay or video can be in English or Turkish.

If you want to shadow the Ambassador in Ankara:

If you want to shadow the Consul-General in Istanbul:

Video entries must be sent by sharing a WeTransfer link, or a link to a video saved in a private/hidden channel on YouTube.

Together with the essay or video, each candidate must send the following contact details:

  • name
  • date of birth
  • email address
  • telephone number

These details will be used to inform candidates about the results of the competition.

Closing date for entry will be 23:59 hrs, 4 April 2022. After this date, no further entries to the competition will be permitted.

What you will win

  • you will shadow either the British Ambassador in Ankara, or the British Consul General in Istanbul; with a day of events (programme TBC). A translator will accompany the winners throughout the day to help with English/Turkish communication

  • 5 runners up to the Consul General for a Day entries and 5 runners up to the Ambassador for a Day entries will receive a highly commended certificate for their entry

Terms and conditions

  1. The candidates must enter the competition with essays or videos, which have not been published in print or online prior to the announcement of the Ambassador for a Day competition and have not been used for applying to similar initiatives. The content of the essays and the videos must be original.

  2. Only one entry will be accepted per person. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. However, if the candidate would be prepared to attend either location, they can state this in their application. The location they enter to will be considered their preference.

  3. Winners from the previous Ambassador for a Day campaign in Turkey cannot enter the current competition.

  4. No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason.

  5. The winners will be selected anonymously based on their essay/video by a judging panel, which includes British Embassy and British Consulate General employees. There will be one winner of Ambassador for a Day, and one winner of Consul General for a Day (two winners in total).

  6. The winners will be notified by email within three weeks of the closing date. If a winner cannot be contacted within four working days of notification, the British Embassy reserves the right to withdraw the prize from the winner and pick a replacement winner from among the other competitors.

  7. The winners must be meet the following conditions:

  • be available to travel to either Istanbul or Ankara on the winner’s day, which will be in May 2022 (winners will be informed of the dates when they are confirmed)

  • have valid ID and/or passport, and bring that ID with them on the winner’s day

  • agree to be photographed and/or filmed during public engagements within the Ambassador for a Day campaign in order to promote the initiative provided that the photos/videos do not prejudice their dignity and reputation

8. The British Embassy Ankara and the British Consulate General Istanbul’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition, including but not limited to the appraisal of the participants, the organisation of carrying out the competition and the awarding of the winners’ prizes will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. They shall have the right to change the dates and order or presenting the awards shall a necessity occur whereby the participants shall be notified.

9. By entering this competition, the entrant is indicating her agreement to be bound by these terms and conditions.

Published 21 March 2022