As part of Amnesty International’s 2026 Banned Books Week Action, we invite you to help spread the word about our Youth Art & Literature Competition, an opportunity for young people to explore human rights and freedom of expression through creative expression.
Each year during Banned Books Week, Amnesty International highlights the stories of individuals around the world who have been threatened, imprisoned, disappeared, or otherwise targeted because of their writing, art, journalism, advocacy, or other forms of creative expression. This year, we are spotlighting individuals from Algeria, Mali, Iran, Russia, the Philippines, the United States, and Palestine who have faced human rights violations for speaking out.
To engage youth in these important issues, we are inviting them to create and submit an original work of art or piece of literature inspired by one of the creative prompts featured on our submission form. Through this project, young people can examine themes of freedom of expression, censorship, and human rights while raising awareness about the experiences of individuals at risk and the importance of defending the right to speak, create, and share ideas freely.
We would greatly appreciate your help in sharing this opportunity with your networks, especially students, educators, libraries, youth groups, after-school programs, and community organizations.
Learn more and submit an entry here!
HRE USA is a project of the Center for Transformative Action.