The Strickland Foundation has launched an annual writing competition to generate debate on a particular subject of national interest.

The writer of the best entry will receive €5,000 and a trophy while the runner-up will get €1,500 and the top 10 entries will receive a certificate.

The foundation chose human rights as the theme this year to complement one of the two topics of its three-year journalism internship scheme.

The competition will lead up to the fifth Mabel Strickland Memorial lecture, to which a renowned jurist specialising in human rights will be invited.

Set up by Mabel Strickland in 1979, The Strickland Foundation aims to promote democratic principles, human rights, free press and voluntary organisations.

Ms Strickland, daughter of Lord Gerald Strickland, was a journalist and politician.

The foundation’s flagship scheme currently sponsors three interns at media organisations. It also sponsors public benefit work and has supported national heritage organisations.

Competition entries may be submitted in English as an article, an essay or a short story but all entries will be considered as one category.

Entrants have to write between 2,500 and 3,000 words on one of the following three topics:

Does Malta lag behind in the protection and observance of human rights?

Are the Maltese generally complacent when it comes to defending their human rights?

Is discrimination ever tolerable? When should discrimination become a human rights issue?

The judges will look for clear thinking, competent use of the language and originality in research and expression of ideas.

The terms and conditions can also be viewed in The Strickland Foundation widget under the news segment of timesofmalta .com as from tomorrow.

Entries and a 200-word synopsis should be e-mailed to admin@ thestricklandfoundation.com or posted to the Chief Executive Officer, The Strickland Foundation, Villa Parisio, Mabel Strickland Street, Lija 1104.

The deadline is October 31.