PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival 2026
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
📌About the Event
PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival 2026 is an international youth short-film competition by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). It invites young filmmakers worldwide to create 1–5 minute videos on themes like migration, diversity, social inclusion, xenophobia, hate speech, misinformation, intercultural dialogue, and responsible use of AI for social good. The 2026 edition is the 18th edition of the festival.
ℹ️ Event Details
- Mode of conduct: Online submission of short videos
- Final showcase: Selected films will be showcased at the 2026 PLURAL+ Ceremony and broadcast through UN Web TV and the PLURAL+ website.
- Theme focus:
- Migration
- Diversity
- Social inclusion
- Combating xenophobia and discrimination
- Responsible narratives on migration
- AI for #OneHumanity
- Type of submission: Short video/film in formats such as fiction, documentary, animation, music video, comedy, or other creative formats.
- Video duration: 1 to 5 minutes, including title and credits.
- Language: Video can be in any language, but English subtitles are required if it is not in English.
📅 Important Dates
- Launch date: 27 April 2026
- Submission deadline: 30 June 2026, 5:00 PM EDT / New York time.
- Deadline in India time: 1 July 2026, 2:30 AM IST
- Result notification: Entrants will be notified by mid-October 2026
🎯 Eligibility & Rules
- Eligibility:
- Open to young people of all nationalities, so Indian students are eligible.
- Entrants must be 25 years old or younger at the time of video production.
- Participants can apply individually or as a group. For group entries, the video falls under the age category of the main entrant.
- Age categories:
- 12 years old and under
- 13 to 17 years old
- 18 to 25 years old
- Video rules:
- Video must be created or produced after 1 January 2023.
- Video must be 1–5 minutes long, including opening and closing credits.
- Video must be in English or include English subtitles.
- Entrant must be actively involved in making the video, such as director, writer, editor, camera person, actor, or coordinator.
- Stock footage/images should be used minimally and must not exceed 15% of the video.
- Music, footage, images, and sound effects must be original, royalty-free, public-domain, or properly licensed.
- AI use must be disclosed in the submission form; non-disclosure can lead to disqualification.
🏆 Benefits for the Participants
- Main recognitions:
- 3 PLURAL+ 2026 International Jury Distinctions will be awarded, one in each age category.
- Special Recognitions 2026:
- Combating Xenophobia and Discrimination
- Responsible Narratives on Migration
- AI for #OneHumanity
- Travel opportunity:
- Recipients of International Jury Distinctions and Special Recognitions are invited to attend the PLURAL+ Ceremony all expenses paid.
- Travel and accommodation are covered for 1 person per selected video.
- For recipients under 18, travel and accommodation are also covered for an adult chaperone/guardian.