Words are powerful and language is meaningful. If you’ve got something to say about language, identity and the words that shaped you we have a competition for you.

UoGSU is launching Unmask the Creativity, a brand-new poetry competition inviting students to explore the theme of Mother Tongue. Whether your mother tongue is the language you grew up speaking at home, the dialect that connects you to your community, or the voice you feel most yourself in - we want to hear what it means to you.

How to take part

It’s simple:

• Your poem must be between 6-10 lines long
• It should be written primarily in English
• You can enter from today - International Mother Language Day 
• The deadline to submit your poem by midday on the 7^th March
• Entries can only be sumited on our online form here: uogsu.com/poem26 

All entries will be reviewed by an expert panel, and three winners will be selected.

What’s up for grabs?

The three winning poets will each receive a certificate signed and presented by our Vice-Chancellor with the top prize including a £30 gift voucher to Rossiter Books (you can find them in Cheltenham).

Winners will be announced at a special celebration event:

Oxstalls SU
23 March
4pm - 6pm

The event will be a chance to come together, celebrate the power of language, and spotlight the voices that make the UoG community so diverse, connected and inspiring.

Language carries memory, culture, history and belonging. Through Unmask the Creativity, we’re creating space for you to reflect, express and share what your mother tongue means to you.

Whether you’re an established writer, enjoy putting pen to paper or have never written a poem before we’d love to read your work!