Plural+ Youth Video Festival on Migration, Diversity and Social Inclusion Call for Video Entries

Plural+ Youth Video Festival on Migration, Diversity and Social Inclusion
Call for Video Entries

New York, NY (February 13, 2014)– The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) invite YOU to submit original and creative videos focusing on PLURAL+ themes: Migration, Diversity and Social inclusion.

Recognizing youth as powerful agents of social change in a world often characterized by intolerance, and cultural and religious divisions, PLURAL+ invites youth to address key challenges and opportunities related to social inclusion and cohesion, migrant integration, respect for identity, diversity, and human rights, both at local and global levels. Young people up to 25 years old are invited to submit short videos of five minutes maximum in length.

The UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, says that PLURAL+, provides youth around the world with the opportunity to submit real stories told by real people, which when widely disseminated “would help foster intercultural dialogue and understanding, respect for diversity and tolerance.”

Matthew Hodes, Director, UNAOC, said “PLURAL+ videos provide powerful narratives that help advance this critical conversation: how to build more inclusive societies where we can all live together in harmony.” Michele Klein-Solomon, Permanent Observer to the United Nations, IOM, added “PLURAL+ videos touch very sensitive issues in a very real way. They look at the realities that people are facing; we like to see young people expressing their profound ideas in a manner that allows the opening of a dialogue.”

Nico Daswani, a member of the PLURAL+ 2013 International Jury commented, “The imagination, craftsmanship and care reflected in such a diversity of videos submitted from around the world is an indication that there is an entire generation of people determined to create and shape the world they live in. We should all be working towards helping unleash that creativity.”

PLURAL+ supports young people’s expression of their opinions by providing them with a variety of media platforms and distribution networks, including broadcasts, video festivals, conferences and events around the world. PLURAL+ not only provides young people with an effective platform to express themselves on key migration and diversity issues, but also reinforces the firm belief of IOM and UNAOC that youth are powerful and creative agents of social change.

A prestigious international jury will select three winners in each age category (9-12, 13-17, 18-25). International Jury winners will be invited to New York, all travel expenses paid, to present their work at the PLURAL + 2014 Awards Ceremony at the Paley Center for Media in December 2014.

PLURAL+ partner organizations will also award other prizes and professional opportunities, such as winning participants presenting their work at film and video festivals, conferences and events around the world.

The PLURAL+ 2014 deadline for video submission is 27 June, 2014. Further information, including guidelines, regulations, awards, and the entry form can be found at the PLURAL+ website at: pluralplus.unaoc.org
You can watch PLURAL+ 2013 award winning videos here
PLURAL+ is organized by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations and the International Organization for Migration with the collaboration of many international partners, including: Red UNIAL, Gulen Institute, MTS Travel, SIGNIS, Global Block, Humanity Without Borders Foundation, Television America Latina (TAL), Universal Forum of Cultures Foundation, NEXOS Alianza, CHINH India, Turkish Cultural Center of New York, COPEAM, Without Borders Film Festival, IAAI GloCha, Doha Center for Media Freedom, CNTV Chile, Paley Center for Media, Amara, Scalabrini International Migration Network, IUEDESP, Balkan Media Education Centre, Waging Nonviolence, IOM Migration Research and Training Centre, Anna Lindh Foundation, UN Television, RAI TV Scuola, GoodnessTV, Cine y Salud, Global Film Initiative, Insight Festival, UNICEF and MTV Exit.