Prize Regulations
The authors of the best entries in each category will receive a cash prize*.
2nd place
5.500 €
1st place
11.500 €
3rd place
3.500 €
* The exact amount of the fee may vary depending on the exchange rate.
The «Future History» Award is a unique opportunity to celebrate outstanding achievements and innovations that can change the world for the better. We are looking for stories about people, ideas and projects capable of inspiring us to change and move forward.
The award nominees are those who are not afraid to dream and bring their ideas to life, who are ready to change the world around them. These are stories of overcoming adversity, of courage and perseverance, of belief in one’s own abilities and in a bright future.
Join us on this fascinating journey through the pages of the history of the future! Celebrate these achievements with us, be inspired, and believe in your own potential.
General terms and conditions of the competition
Competition Terms and Conditions: TECHNOLOGY IN THE HUMAN WORLD
Introduction
What kind of future will we create?
Will it bring happiness to each and every one of us? Or will it result in a cascade of disasters and the grim promises of dystopias?
Brave explorers of the coming centuries have discovered that there are no simple or straightforward answers to these questions.
Space travel coexists with total digitalisation. The victory over deadly diseases goes hand in hand with rising street crime. And the price of an almost utopian society free from violence and war may be the renunciation of our own past and our bold ambitions.
Technology occupies a prominent place on the map of future risks and threats. The very technologies that have become the foundation and proof of human power. The very technologies that have created the world we know today. The very technologies that promise a bright future for all of humanity and, at the same time, carry the potential for its complete annihilation.
In the not-too-distant future, genetic engineering will be able to determine a person’s appearance, whilst intelligent algorithms will predict their behaviour. Will we be able to avoid letting technology dictate our lives, and instead harness it to serve us in a human-centred world?
However, the downside of technology is not the only problem. There are plenty of others in the world. Armed conflicts continue on Earth and in space. The gap between rich and poor is widening. And things are unsettled in cyberspace too…
However, there is no reason to give up.
We would remind you that the heroes of the ‘golden age’ of science fiction – scientists, engineers, innovators and pioneers – are inventive people. And one of their defining talents is the ability to solve problems.
Problems on a planetary scale and on a personal level. Social and technological. In space and on Earth. Human problems and alien problems…
Time and again, science fiction has demonstrated the ability not only to identify the problems of the present and the future, but also to propose solutions.
We invite authors to explore the theme of technology and continue this tradition.
Categories
- Best Short Story
- Best Short Story for Children and Young Adults
- Best Short Story in a Foreign Language
Entry requirements
The competition is open to short stories written in the science fiction genre that relate to the specified theme.
Entries in the ‘Best Short Story for Children and Young Adults’ category must be age-appropriate and must not contain scenes of violence or profanity.
The length of the short story must be no less than 20,000 characters and no more than 50,000 characters, including spaces (as counted by Word).
Only one short story per author will be considered in each category. However, an author may submit one short story to each category.
Only stories that have not been previously published, including on the internet, will be accepted for the competition.
Stories that do not state the author’s real name will not be admitted to the competition. If an author submits several stories under different pseudonyms, their works will be withdrawn from the competition.
Stories from authors aged 18 or over are eligible for the competition.
Formatting of stories
Stories submitted to the competition must meet the following requirements:
- the text must be submitted as a .doc or .docx file;
- the file name must include the author’s surname and the title of the story (in the format Surname_Title);
- the file must include the author’s first name and surname, the title of the story and a contact email address;
- font: Times New Roman; font size of the main text: 14;
- text alignment: justified
Manifesto
It is hard to dream.
Especially when visions of the future are shrouded in a fog of uncertainty, and the familiar realities of the old world are fading away or being transformed. Past dreams have faded and seem unattainable, whilst new threats and risks come to the fore, overshadowing everything else.
Is it possible today to imagine – and even construct – better worlds?
What should they be like?
And how can we ensure that these dreams do not turn into empty fantasies?
Throughout human history – from the taming of fire to the harnessing of atomic energy – there have been both highs and lows. And yet, humanity has stubbornly and unyieldingly pressed forward, through a succession of crises and catastrophes, guided by the light of shared hopes and aspirations. Turning into reality what were once the bold dreams of prophets, science fiction writers and visionaries.
Something inherent in us helps us along this path. Curiosity and determination, courage and perseverance, a willingness to cooperate and a desire for justice… All these qualities are characteristic not only of historical figures, but also of the heroes of science fiction.
And the finest works of science fiction not only create compelling visions of the future, but also remind us of how much remains to be done to bring them to life.
Though the present – and indeed the future too – holds many obstacles, we believe that individuals and humanity as a whole are capable of overcoming them and achieving a bright future.
Per aspera ad astra.
The future belongs to those who continue to dream!
Dates
Start of the application period
20 May 2026
Closing date for applications
1 September 2026
Publication of the shortlist
October 2026
Awards ceremony
4 December 2026
The award ceremony of the International Literary Prize
"Future History"
