For two decades, APEC has worked to increase opportunities and improve conditions for businesses in the Asia-Pacific region.

To mark this anniversary, and to ensure that APEC continues to work for business in the years to come, the Secretariat is asking the region's future business leaders to tell us what they think APEC should do for its key stakeholder group.

To be launched on 2 March 2009, the competition invites business students^* from APEC's 21 member economies to write an original essay on, "What can APEC do for Business?"

Executive Director, Ambassador Michael Tay, believes that the contest is an important initiative at this juncture in APEC's history. "When businesses throughout the Asia-Pacific are hurting, APEC must do all it can to promote trade and investment, to get businesses back to positions of strength and sustainability" he says.

"By focusing the region's best and brightest brains on this issue we hope to discover new ways to work and think. By adding these tools to our kit, we can develop better solutions and initiatives for the issues that businesses face."

Up to three winners will receive prizes totalling US$5,000. The author of the top essay will be awarded an all-expenses paid trip to attend the 2009 APEC CEO Summit and the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Singapore in November. The winner will also be given the opportunity to present his or her essay during the 2009 APEC CEO Summit, and the chance to meet with his or her economy's Leader. A US$500 cash prize will also be awarded. In the event that a Singapore-based student wins the competition, a cash equivalent will be provided.

A US$1000 cash prize will be awarded to the first runner-up and in the event that the winner cannot attend the CEO Summit/AELM, the first runner-up will take his or her position. AUS$500 cash prize will be awarded to the second runner-up.

The deadline for submitting entries is 31 July 2009 and the winners will be announced in September.

When the contest is officially launched in March, details on entrant eligibility, essay guidelines and judging criteria will be available on a dedicated webpage (www.apec.org/20years).


^*Entrants must be a graduate or upper-level (third/fourth year) undergraduate student and be currently enrolled in a business-related faculty, department or school at a tertiary education institution. Entrants must be citizens or permanent residents of APEC member economies.