New York – The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced Friday (8 November) the annual Awards Ceremony of the Plural Plus Youth Video Festival (PLURAL+) will take place on Wednesday 13 November at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

The goal of PLURAL+ is to ensure youth engagement in pressing social issues, both at local and global levels, by making their videos available through a variety of media platforms and distribution networks.

Since 2009, UNAOC and IOM annually have invited youth filmmakers from around the world to submit short videos exploring the topics of migration, diversity, social inclusion, and the prevention of xenophobia.

“There are 38 million migrants under the age of 20. For 11 years, PLURAL+ has given youth a global stage to lead dialogues around social inclusion, diversity and migration,” said IOM Director General António Vitorino. “The initiative is committed to empowering the voices of our future in combatting the harmful, anti-foreigner narratives found in some of today’s media.”

In 2019, PLURAL+ received a record number of entries – over 1,200 videos from nearly 70 countries. Twenty-five finalists, representing 18 countries, have been selected for PLURAL+ awards this year, including three International Jury Award winners and one winner for the Prevention of Xenophobia Award. Other finalists are receiving awards from the many partner organizations of PLURAL+.

“The success of PLURAL+ is a clear sign that young people around the world are hungry for opportunities to have their voices heard,” said the High Representative for UNAOC, Miguel Ángel Moratinos. “Today, more than ever, PLURAL+ is a critical platform for youth that allows them to express their views on the challenges facing our world.”

The PLURAL+ winners will be announced during the Awards Ceremony on 13 November, and they will have the opportunity to present their work and receive their awards from the members of the PLURAL+ International Jury.

High Representative Moratinos and DG Vitorino will attend the ceremony which will begin at 10 am, continuing until 1 pm in the ECOSOC Chamber.

To participate in the PLURAL+ Awards Ceremony, people are invited to RSVP at this address https://pluralplus.unaoc.org/rsvp/and to visit https://pluralplus.unaoc.org/ for more information.

For more information, please contact in New York, Rahma Gamil Soliman at the IOM Office to the United Nations, Tel:  +1 917 515 7454, Email: rsoliman@iom.int and Thibault Chareton at the UNAOC Office, Tel: +1 646 306 8780, Email: thibaultc@unops.org