Global Acts of Unity is launching a national t-shirt design competition asking young people aged 14-18 from across the country to express what ‘unity’ means to them for a chance to win a £100 voucher and £500 worth of supplies for their school and have their t-shirt made.

Last year, Global Acts of Unity ran a national poetry competition, Words of Unity, where students were asked to write what unity meant to them in a poem. This year, it is running a creative arts competition: Unitees, which asks students to use the power of words and illustration to express ‘unity’ in a stylish and wearable t-shirt design.

The design can be inspired by different forms of creative expression such as a short poem, a rap, spoken-word lyric, a snippet of a song, slogan or strapline, and can be accompanied with a picture or illustration to bring it to life.

The competition has been launched by Global Acts of Unity which was set up by Mike Haines OBE. In 2014, Daesh kidnapped and killed David Haines to sow hate and division. In response, Mike created Global Acts of Unity to honour his brother and defy the terrorist’s aims.  

Mike Haines OBE, founder of Global Acts of Unity said: “There is always a very powerful reaction from young people when I tell my family’s story and I’ve been inspired by so many on my journey, but I want to hear from so many more young people. That is why we have created ‘Unitees’ to invite young people, as the leaders of tomorrow, to add their powerful and unique voices to this call for unity, acceptance, and understanding.” 

Mike Haines added: “Young people have lacked consistent personal interaction and conversations with their peers over the past year, and through various reports, we have seen an increase in their vulnerability as they are more exposed to unsafe and unmonitored online spaces. That is why there is no greater time for unity and this competition creates an opportunity for them to express themselves openly and creatively and celebrate the importance of tolerance and understanding.”

The competition is open from 16 April to 18 June 2021 and the National Association for Teaching English (NATE) has verified that it is in line with the national curriculum and Key Stage 3 English learning resources. An assembly and classroom downloadable toolkit for teachers are available on the Global Acts of Unity website.