UNCITRAL 60 Global Essay Competition

About UNCITRAL

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) marks its 60th anniversary in 2026, after six decades of shaping the rules behind global commerce. To celebrate, the UNCITRAL secretariat has launched a global essay competition open to all researchers interested in international trade law and related fields.

Aims of the competition

According to the official call, the competition aims to:

• Involve researchers in debates on the future of international trade law.
• Promote interdisciplinary thinking and new approaches to legal development.
• Raise global awareness of UNCITRAL's work.
• Encourage participation across different legal systems, regions and academic traditions.

Theme

The theme is "From Foundations to Frontiers: UNCITRAL's Role in Shaping Tomorrow's Trade Law". Essays should address:

Interdisciplinary work combining legal analysis with economics, technology and other fields is encouraged.

• The social and economic impact of UNCITRAL texts, including how they help international trade and promote legal certainty across jurisdictions.
• Forward-looking ideas on the future of international trade law, and how UNCITRAL can remain a solution-focused, inclusive and responsive forum.

Who is eligible

• Researchers from any discipline with an interest in international trade law.
• Your submission must be endorsed by a university or recognised research institution.

Submission requirements

• Written in any of the six official UN languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish.
• No more than 10,000 words.
• Sent by email to uncitral60@un.org with the subject line "Global Essay Competition".

How to apply, step by step

1. Choose an angle on the theme, such as the impact of a specific UNCITRAL text in your region or a proposal for its future work.
2. Write an original essay of 10,000 words or fewer in a UN official language.
3. Get an endorsement from your university or research institution.
4. Email the essay to uncitral60@un.org with the subject "Global Essay Competition" before 31 December 2026.

Deadline and timeline

• Before 31 December 2026: submission deadline.
• June/July 2027: winners present at the UNCITRAL Commission session in Vienna.

Evaluation

Essays are judged by a panel of current and former members of the UNCITRAL secretariat and eminent professors of international trade law.

Awards

The call does not say whether travel to Vienna is funded; ask the secretariat if this matters to you.

• The top ten authors, ideally two from each UN regional group, are invited to present their essays at the UNCITRAL Commission session in Vienna in June/July 2027.
• Their essays are published as part of the UNCITRAL 60 documentation.
• Winners are offered a visiting scholarship at the UNCITRAL secretariat.

Tips from the source

• Winners are chosen ideally two per UN regional group, and the call stresses inclusion across regions and legal traditions.
• Arrange your institutional endorsement early.

Official link and contact

The official call is a PDF published by the UNCITRAL secretariat (uncitral.un.org). For questions, email uncitral60@un.org. The source is a two-page call, so this page is short; the official call is the final word.