1. Objectives

The program aims to vividly recount wonderful stories of the Silk Road, carry forward the profound, brilliant, and inclusive Silk Road culture, deepen cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation between countries along the Silk Road, and give full play to the positive role of young people in the creation and dissemination of micro-films and short videos. Hereby, we publicly solicit works from young creators in countries along the Silk Road, with focus on narratives in forms of photos, short videos, micro-dramas, short-films, and micro-documentaries. All works will be disseminated and publicized with converged media on both domestic and international channels and platforms, so as to deepen Sino-foreign exchanges and cooperation and promote joint creation and broadcasting of high-quality photographic and video works themed on the Silk Road.

2. Solicitation Period

November 2, 2024-July 30, 2025

3. Types of Submissions

Submitted works are divided into two major categories: photos and videos. Video works can be further classified into miniseries, micro-dramas, micro-documentaries, micro-animated films, vlog, etc., with each episode no longer than 5 minutes.

4. Themes

The competition consists of four sections themed on “Shared Stories of the Silk Road”, “Harmonious Coexistence and Win-win Cooperation”, “Toward an Intelligent Future” and “Shared Journey of Youth”, respectively.

Section 1: Shared Stories of the Silk Road

This section focuses on soliciting works depicting urban cultures, picturesque landscapes, folk customs, and cultural exchanges of countries along the Silk Road, with an aim to showcases the close people-to-people ties and exchanges in fields such as culture, science, education, eco-environment, sports, healthcare, media, food, and festivals, and tell the touching stories of exchanges between cultures and mutual learning among civilizations.

Section 2: Harmonious Coexistence and Win-win Cooperation

This section focuses on soliciting works reflecting achievements of pragmatic cooperation between countries along the Silk Road, and recounting the vivid stories of enterprises from various nations to enhance sustainable development, deepen economic and trade cooperation, and promote cross-border e-commerce and exchanges.

Section 3: Toward an Intelligent Future

This section focuses on soliciting AI-generated works, with an aim to explore the infinite potential of AI technologies in video creation. We cordially invite creators to use cutting-edge AI technologies to generate unique and thought-provoking video works, including but not limited to automated video editing and smart voiceover and dubbing, so as to create a new vision for the Silk Road together.

Section 4: Shared Journey of Youth

This section is dedicated to overseas students, that is, soliciting works created by international students in China from other countries along the Silk Road and Chinese students who are studying abroad. Through their lens, they can capture unforgettable moments in their study, colorful lives, and adventure tours, together composing a story of youth transcending national boundaries.

5. Scope of Submission

Youth and institutions from China and other Silk Road countries are eligible to participate. Each individual or team may submit up to three video works, with at least 80% of the team consisting of young participants.

6. Submission Requirements

1.Please complete the “Youth Bonds on Silk Road - International Youth Video Exchange Program” Application Form in full.

2.Submitted works should closely adhere to the theme, offer originality, and convey a positive message. They must not contain any content involving obscenity, violence, gambling, superstition, terror, racial discrimination, religious taboos, or any other material that violates legal or regulatory standards.

3.Photo Submissions: Both color and black-and-white photos are accepted, either as single photos or in series, with no limit on the number of submissions. Each photo must include a detailed description, have a resolution with a long side of at least 1920 pixels, and be in JPG format with a data size of no less than 800K. Authors should retain the original data files to facilitate post-selection adjustments. Basic post-processing is permitted, but photos must not be altered in content or appearance through composite techniques.

4.Video Submissions: Multi-language video content is allowed and should include English or Chinese subtitles. Accepted formats are MPG, MPEG, AVI, MOV, WMV, and MP4, with a minimum resolution of 1280x720. For micro-dramas, short films, and micro-documentaries, both a completed video and a preview trailer (within three minutes, in MP4 or MOV format) are required.

5.Optional materials include posters, stills, and working photos.

7. Submission Method

During the specified registration period, participants should submit works and relevant documents as large attachments via email to the following addresses:

Domestic applications:qlsilkroadxjtu1@163.com

International applications:qlsilkroadxjtu@163.com

Email titles should follow the format: “Category - Author’s Country - Author’s Name - Work Title.” Include both the application form (Attachment 1) and a commitment letter (Attachment 2). Video submissions meeting requirements can alternatively be provided via a cloud link and password; within China, Baidu Netdisk is recommended, while Google Drive is preferred for international participants. The submission deadline is July 30, 2025.

8. Support Mechanisms

The program will provide a variety of support for selected participants and their respective works.

1.Creative Training: A Silk Road International Youth Video Exchange Creation Camp will be held, featuring mentors, senior producers, directors, and expert scholars from China and abroad to offer guidance and training.

2.Promotion: Outstanding works may be showcased at major events hosted by the organizing entities.

9. Copyright and Other Rights Requirements

Submitted works must be original, independently created by the participant, and free from any infringement on third-party intellectual property rights. Materials used in the submissions, including music, scripts, photos, portraits, and visual elements, must not infringe on the rights of others. Participants assume full responsibility for any legal disputes and will be disqualified if such issues arise, with any financial loss to the organizers to be borne by the responsible party.

Entrants grant the main organizer full copyright use for non-commercial purposes, allowing it to utilize the selected works as part of the program. By submitting, participants authorize the organizer to use their works within the specified scope for a period of 50 years starting from 2024.

* Click HERE to download Rules, Selection Measures and Information Registration Forms.  Code：ws0r

Source: 国际传播发展中心