We are delighted to invite young writers from around the world to participate in the inaugural Hakluyt Essay Prize. At Hakluyt, we believe in the enduring value of human insight and debate in engaging with complex issues. Our essay prize will recognise excellence in independent thinking and intellectual enquiry, celebrating writing which demonstrates clarity of thought and sound judgement, and which offers an original perspective on contemporary global affairs.
Entrants’ essays will be assessed by our panel of leading figures from business, government and academia. The winner will receive a cash prize of £5,000, plus a year’s membership of The London Library, and subscriptions to The Economist, Monocle and the Times Literary Supplement.
The deadline for submissions for the 2026 Hakluyt Essay Prize is 30 September.
Register your interest below or enter now.
The Brief
We invite candidates to submit a considered response debating the following statement:
In 1589, Richard Hakluyt relied on personal accounts to give his readers a new understanding of the world. Today, despite an abundance of data and machine-generated analysis, organisations and individuals alike struggle to make sense of an increasingly complex global landscape. As we look to navigate this fast-evolving environment, human insights will be more important to decision-making than data analytics and dashboards.
Entry Criteria
The Hakluyt Essay Prize is open to adults globally, aged 30 and under.
Essays should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words (this excludes footnotes and bibliography, should they be included).
Entries should be in English, and must comprise entirely original, new work. We will not accept repurposed essays, or writing which has elements (paragraphs, sections) that have been previously published or submitted to other organisations in any form.
All entries should be free from plagiarism and composed without the use of AI. Hakluyt will use plagiarism and AI screening software in the initial assessment of applications, and reserves the right to disqualify any entries suspected of AI-generated or plagiarised work.
The deadline for applications is 30 September 2026.
Judging Panel
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Lara Boro
CEO, The Economist Group
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Professor Joseph Fuller
Professor of Management Practice, Harvard Business School
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Rt Hon Lord William Hague
Chancellor, University of Oxford
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Lord Mark Sedwill GCMG
Former UK Government Cabinet Secretary and National Security Adviser
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Holly Morrow
Deputy Managing Partner, Hakluyt
The Hakluyt Essay Prize is supported by Hakluyt’s partner, The London Library. Founded in 1841, The London Library is the world’s largest independent lending library and the home of literary inspiration. The prize giving ceremony for the Hakluyt Essay Prize will be hosted in the Reading Room at The Library in November 2026.
Enter
For any questions regarding submissions or judging, please email
[email protected]