Student Media Competition

• What? An international media competition for articles and documentaries
• Who? For university or college students in the EU (ages 18-28)
• Where? Submissions must take place in Hungary , Czech Republic, Latvia , Lithuania , Romania or Slovakia
• When? Submissions are due 4 April 2011.
• What are the prizes for each category? First prize: 1,000 EUR. Second prize: 500 EUR. Third prize: 200 EUR (6 prizes total). In addition, the winners will be invited to an award ceremony at an international conference with costs covered.

The International Organization for Migration, in coordination with the European Commission, is hosting a competition for university and college students to submit articles and documentaries on migration and integration-related issues. Articles and documentaries must address integration issues in Hungary , Czech Republic, Latvia , Lithuania , Romania or Slovakia . Selected winners will receive a cash prize and winners’ work will be showcased at the international conference “Promoting Migrant Integration Through Media and Intercultural Dialogue” in Budapest in May 2011.

Awards for each category (article and documentary film): First prize: 1,000 EUR. Second prize: 500 EUR. Third prize: 200 EUR. In addition to the cash prize and a certificate, the winners will be invited to the award ceremony at the international conference, “Promoting Migrant Integration Through Media and Intercultural Dialogue”, implemented in coordination with the Hungarian EU Presidency in Budapest on 17-18 May (all travel and accommodation expenses covered). The winners’ work will be featured in various media channels (websites, newspapers, YouTube, etc.).

Deadlines for submissions: 17:00 GMT+1 ( Hungary time zone) 4 April 2011.

Eligibility: Students must be registered to study at a university or college in the EU (ages 18-28). Proof of university registration (e.g. copy of the student ID card or class registration papers) and age must be supplied.

Description of submissions: All submissions must be in English (English subtitles acceptable for documentaries) and must have been created in 2010 or by the submission deadline (4 April 2011). The topic needs to creatively address issues surrounding immigrants, integration, and/or cultural diversity in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania or Slovakia. By immigration/immigrants we refer to third-country nationals who are living in either of the six countries listed above! Examples might be a young immigrant’s struggle to adapt to a new culture, a story of a successful integration and adaptation to the new country, an organization that is doing something unique to work with immigrants, etc. Articles must be between 1,500 and 3,000 words. Documentaries must be between 5-10 minutes, including title and end credits. Any submissions falling outside of these word and time restraints will not be considered. Applicants can send a submission for only one of the two categories. Submissions must be non-published and cannot have received an award through another competition.

How to submit: Eligible applicants must upload their 1) submission (article or documentary), 2) application form, and 3) scanned proof of age and university status online and send them to IOM Hungary , MITS Media Competition, Revay utca, 12, 1065 Budapest, Hungary , by 4 April 2011.

The application form includes a required summary (up to 750 words or 5,000 characters) that provides background as to why the applicant chose the theme, how the applicant developed his/her story or documentary, and why the application should be chosen for an award.

For articles: a .pdf of the article with the applicant’s original signature must be uploaded via the website and the original (with the signed application form and proof of age and university status) mailed to IOM Hungary (see address above). The application form - as completed online - will be automatically e-mailed to the applicant's e-mail address once the submission is completed online. The applicant should print and sign it before including it in the envelope.

For documentaries: uploaded via the website (.mp4, .mpg, .mov, .mpeg, .wmv format, maximum 20 MB) and the submission on DVD (with signed application form and proof of age and university status) should be sent to IOM Hungary (see address above).

All applicants must certify on the application form that the submission is their own and copyrights have not been violated. All applicants give IOM and project consortium partners the right to publicize their work.

Evaluation procedure: The submissions will be evaluated by a panel of professional international journalists and practitioners who are members of the project consortium (IOM country offices and Centre for Independent Journalism (HU); New School (CZ); Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the University of Latvia; Institute of Journalism at the University of Vilnius, Lithuania ; Soros Foundation (RO); Milan Simecka Foundation (SK)). The submissions will be evaluated based on originality, understanding of the migration/integration situation in one of the countries covered by the competition, adhering to topic and clarity of the message. Any submissions that do not adhere to the above guidelines will be rejected.