UNHCR’s Short Video Competition –  A Chance to Win Content Creator Goodies [Extended deadline for participation: 18 July 2025]

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Hey, talented you! Are you interested in using your creativity to promote an inclusive South Africa?

UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency – invites you to take part in an exciting TikTok video competition designed to promote solidarity, social cohesion, and inclusion for refugees, asylum seekers, and stateless persons living in South Africa.

This initiative is part of the South African National Action Plan (NAP) to combat racism, xenophobia, and related intolerance. It also forms part of UNHCR’s Information Integrity workstream, supported by Innovation Norway, which aims to address digital information risks that affect displaced populations.

We want YOU to create original, impactful social media content that promotes Ubuntu – our shared humanity – and challenges divisive narratives using a “pre-bunking” approach.

Who Can Participate?

If you live in South Africa, this competition is open to you!

  • Open to individuals or groups.
  • You must not be signed to an influencer agency.

What Are We Looking For?

  • Platform Compliance: Make sure your content follows TikTok’s community guidelines.
  • Engaging and Creative: Your content should be fun, creative, and promote solidarity and Ubuntu with refugees and asylum seekers.
  • Pre-bunking Approach: Use the pre-bunking methodology. If you don’t use the prebunking approach, your post will be disqualified. Check out this guide for more info.
  • Language: You can submit your content in any relevant language – remember you want maximum engagement.
  • Format: Content should be suitable for TikTok.
  • Minimum video length for competition entries: 30 seconds – the “sweet spot” for keeping viewers engaged is 21 seconds.

How to Participate

  1. Step 1: Create your content between 4th June 2025 and 18 July 2025.
  2. Step 2: Post your content on TikTok during the same period: 4th June  – 18 July 2025..
  3. Step 3: Use the correct tags in your TikTok caption: Tag @refugees and include the hashtag #WithRefugees.
  4. Step 4: Set the privacy settings to public for your post.
  5. Step 5: Complete the APPLICATION FORM after posting your content . (Entries will not be counted without this form. You can submit more than one entry!)

Key Dates

  • Deadline: 18 July 2025 (Midnight, South Africa Time)
  • Winners Announced: August 2025 (with an exact date to be communicated with all selected winners via email)

How We Can Support Your Participation

UNHCR will organize online training session on Monday 9th June to sharpen your content skills and understand how to apply the pre-bunking methodology.

This session will include:

  • Understanding Pre-bunking: Learn the basics of the pre-bunking methodology and how to apply it to your content.
  • Content Creation Tips: Get tips on creating engaging and impactful social media content.
  • Q&A Session

Interested? Register here: bit.ly/4jskkWt

Prizes

The top 15 entries will be shortlisted. Winners will be determined by video views and quality of content based on competition criteria.

  • 🥇 1st Prize: Complete Content Creator Kit
  • 🥈 2nd Prize: Starter Creator Kit
  • 🥉 3rd Prize: Content Accessories Pack

Note: If a team wins, the prize will be awarded to the nominated team lead to distribute among the team.

Judging Criteria

A panel of independent judges will evaluate entries based on:

  • Use of pre-bunking techniques
  • Creativity and clarity of message
  • Promotion of solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers
  • Video engagement metrics (views on TikTok)

Help us share this initiative and inspire change!