About the contest
The annual intercollegiate competition is administered by the Peace and Justice Ministries of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Undergraduate students including all residents or associates of Conrad Grebel University College, as well as students who are enrolled in a PACS program, are invited to participate in the contest. The contest is sponsored by Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) theology and religion, language and literature, and peacebuilding and development programs, including Mennonite Central Committee.
The theme for these speeches is the application of the Christian peace position to contemporary concerns. Christian peace positions can be broadly interpreted to include nonviolent approaches to conflict and holistic approaches to addressing social inequities and injustices that contribute to issues we see in society. PACS students might include diverse lenses on different forms of violence and peace, feminism and gender equity, racial equity, restorative justice, socio-economic and political inclusion, police brutality, non-violent direct action, peace as everybody's business, climate change, and environmental justice, etc.
On March 25, 2026, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Grebel, the PACS Department and the Grebel Chaplaincy’s Offices are organizing a speech performance and inviting you to participate as a contestant or an active listener. The contest winners will be rewarded with cash prizes. For more information, reach out to the PACS Academic Advisor.
To learn more about the contest and meet previous PACS or Grebel resident participants, visit this link here.
Application deadline — March 6, 2026.