We are pleased to announce that Hiranga Suraweera from grade 10 has received the Silver Award in the 2026 Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition (QCWC), organised by the Royal Commonwealth Society.
The 2026 competition introduced a revised format, expanding beyond essays to include stories, poems, scripts, and letters. Under the theme ‘Common Ground: Better Together’, the competition invites young people aged 18 and under to express their ideas and perspectives through different forms of writing.
Hiranga’s achievement reflects his engagement with writing and his ability to explore ideas through written expression. The competition provides young writers across the Commonwealth with an opportunity to share their perspectives and engage with a range of themes.
This recognition adds to Hiranga’s recent achievement in the 2026 John Locke Institute Global Essay Prize, in which he was shortlisted. According to the Institute, the competition attracted 100,227 contestants from 183 countries, making it the largest edition to date.
The 2026 competition also marked Hiranga’s first participation in the Senior category, following previous High Commendation awards in the Junior category. For his entry, he explored the question of whether space technology is a necessity or an indulgence. As part of the competition process, he also took part in a viva with an expert associated with the competition on 3 July.
We congratulate Hiranga on receiving the Silver Award and wish him continued success in his academic and writing pursuits.
