New York – On 19 November young media makers from around the world will be invited to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival, as well as the 2018 Awards Ceremony, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. A second event will be held at the Paley Center for Media on 21 November, where all the award-winning videos will be screened followed by conversations about migration, inclusion and diversity.

PLURAL+ is a Youth Video Festival focused on migration. For ten years, it has provided a platform for young people to express their views on diversity, social inclusion and prevention of xenophobia as seen through their camera lens. The submissions are inspiring and moving; in many cases they challenge the negative narratives and false perceptions surrounding migration.

“Congratulations to the winners of PLURAL+2018! For ten years, PLURAL+ has been helping young people express themselves on the universal reality of migration in entertaining and constructive ways,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino. “This year we are very proud to see more inclusive, independent young voices telling inspiring stories that will spark conversations and help stimulate change.”

“The positive messages reflected in the PLURAL+ videos today are even more relevant and urgent than they were in 2008 when we started the festival,” said H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, UNAOC’s High Representative. "These youthful and creative voices addressing migration and prevention of xenophobia are energizing forces of empathy. They are powerful narratives that counterbalance the polarizing stories and cultural stereotypes that are often found in the media.”

The three winners of the PLURAL+2018 International Jury Awards are:

• BE THERE (India) by Mohd Ayaan, Gaurika, Anshika, Aadhya, Nitya, Divit and students of the CHIHN programme at the Tagore International School (age group up to 12 years).
• FUTURE NEWS (Spain) by Leo Humphreys, Ignacio Nieto, Lola Parrilla, Claudia Mate, Kique Parrilla and a group of students from Taller Telekids (age group 13-17 years).
• FALSE HOPE (Philippines) by Al-jhun Romel Virgo, Ella Mae Gonzales, Francis Atendido, Angelikka Eden García, Princess Jazmine García and Angela Given Formanes (age group 18-25 years).

The ceremony will also honour the PLURAL+ Special Award for the Prevention of Xenophobia:

• I AM NOT DANGEROUS (Afghanistan/Greece) produced and directed by Fridoon Joinda, an Afghan refugee living in Greece.

They were selected out of more than 370 videos from 72 countries worldwide. Videos receiving PLURAL+ partner awards will also be celebrated. This year’s winning videos come from:  Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, Czechia, Egypt, Greece, Guinea Bissau, India, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Spain, UK, USA, Zimbabwe. Many of the video makers will attend the ceremony in New York.

The PLURAL+ 2018 Awards Ceremony will be a Gala Dinner to celebrate the festival’s 10-year anniversary, as part of the UNAOC’s 8th Global Forum. The International Jury and the Prevention of Xenophobia prize-winning videos will be screened, along with a video compilation of all other winning videos, and a PLURAL+ retrospective.

The Gala Dinner on 19 November is by invitation only, while the 21 November event is open to the public. It will take place at 8.30am at the Paley Media Center for Media (25 West 52nd Street) in New York City. RSVP

For more information on the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival and to register, please visit www.pluralplus.unaoc.org  

For more information please contact:

Rahma Gamil Soliman at IOM New York, Tel: +1 (917) 515-7454, Email: rsoliman@iom.int

Jordi Torrent at UNAOC, Tel: +1 (929) 274-6217, Email: jordit@unops.org