Enter BBC World Service and British Council’s 25th International Radio Playwriting Competition

From today, Thursday 1 October until 31 January 2016, entries can be submitted to the World Service’s 25th International Radio Playwriting Competition.

Any writer, established or new, outside the UK can submit a radio play which needs to be 53 minutes long and can be on any subject.

There are two first prizes in the competition – one for writers with English as a First Language and another for writers with English as a Second Language. In both categories the winner will attend an award ceremony in London and watch their play recorded for broadcast on BBC World Service, for a global audience.

There is also a third award which celebrates the most promising script from the competition’s shortlist in honour of BBC World Service journalist and writer Georgi Markov (1929-1978). The winner of the Georgi Markov prize will also travel to London for the award ceremony and spend two weeks with BBC Radio Drama and BBC World Service.

This special opportunity for playwrights is hosted by BBC World Service and the British Council, in partnership with Commonwealth Writers and co-producers The Open University.

For full information and details of how to enter the competition visit: www.bbcworldservice.com/radioplay.

• Last year’s winning play The Ravens by Alana Valentine  will broadcast again on BBC World Service on Saturday 3 October
• Keep up to date with the competition on Facebook and join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #BBCPlay