“Child of the Earth… Nature, Its Great Mother”
15th International Poetry and Prose Reflection Competition
Organised by the Hellenic-Cypriot Cultural Association (HCCA)
Under the auspices of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation
The Hellenic-Cypriot Cultural Association (HCCA) proudly announces the launch of the 15th International Poetry and Prose Reflection Competition, under the theme:
“Child of the Earth… Nature, Its Great Mother”
Competition Duration:
Submissions Open: July 11, 2025
Submission Deadline: September 14, 2025
This year’s theme sheds light on the deep and timeless bond between humanity and Nature, as seen through the eyes of the child — that inner voice of purity, truth, and wonder. The Earth, our shared Great Mother, becomes a wellspring of poetic and reflective thought, calling us to remember, to feel, and to protect.
Eligibility:
Participation is free and open to all, regardless of age or nationality.
Entries are accepted in Greek or English from any country.
Submission Categories:
- Poetry: 12–20 lines or 90–150 words
- Prose Reflection: 16–23 lines or 250–370 words
Submission Guidelines:
- Unpublished, original work inspired by this year’s theme
- Format: Word document (.doc/.docx)
- Font: Calibri or Times New Roman | Size: 12 | Single spacing
- Language: Standard Modern Greek or English
- For minors, written parental/guardian consent is required
Each Submission Must Include:
• Full Name
• Year of Birth
• Place of origin / residence
• Studies / Profession
• Full contact information
• A high-resolution photo
Submission Email:
Send entries to: [email protected]
Subject Line: 15th Poetry Competition – Child of the Earth
Announcement of Results:
Results will be announced at the end of September 2025.
The new printed Anthology featuring the awarded works will be officially presented on October 24, 2025, in Athens, at the Stelios Foundation Conference Hall, under the auspices of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation.
Awards:
- The two top-ranked works will receive publication awards
- Selected works will be featured in the Association’s Anthology
- Honorary Distinctions and Certificates of Merit will be awarded
More Information:
Visit the official website: www.cultural-association.org
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
“Nature, the Great Mother” is more than a poetic phrase — it is the collective memory of humanity, the cradle of life. From Gaia of ancient Greek mythology to today’s climate distress, Earth nourishes us, inspires us, and urges us to return to her — not as masters, but as guardians.
As the poet Ritsos wrote:
“If all the children of the Earth…” unite, the world can change.
As Savvopoulos observed:
“How can you hide from children? They know everything anyway.”
And Elytis sang:
“The Sun King lives” — in innocence, in memory, in hope, in poetry.
Through the sounds of a girl on a bicycle vanishing over the waves, a seagull unaware of what a knife is, a seashell left on the sand like a heart, Elytis evoked the child’s purity as a bridge back to Nature. In this purity, words become seeds, and Art a sacred act of remembrance.
Write about Mother Earth as a child would describe her with words.
With light, sea, soil, and sky.
With the affection we feel for the tree that shades our yard, or for the wave that once whispered a secret to us.
As long as there are children who “know everything” and words that grow like sea clover, there is hope.
And as Georgios Vizyinos so simply and profoundly wrote in The Children’s Prayer:
God grants children
the mind and the tongue,
to say what’s in their hearts
and to learn so much.
So good children,
night and day,
with heartfelt prayer,
thank Him always.
This prayer — at once a poem and a way of life — reminds us:
When a child learns to speak with the voice of the heart, there is still a path forward. For poetry, for our world, for the salvation of Earth.
For Media Inquiries, Interviews, or Visual Materials:
Contact: [email protected], Website: www.cultural-association.org
Culture is our Vision — Poetry, our Light.
Let’s write for the Earth — and with the Earth — together.
Source: Hellenic-Cypriot Cultural Association
Feature Photo source: Unsplash
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