What is PLURAL+?

In a world often characterized by intolerance, polarization, and cultural divisions, the PLURAL+ Youth Video Festival recognizes youth as powerful agents of social change, and empowers them to share their creative vision that fosters inclusion and respect for diversity.

Launched in 2009, PLURAL+ is an initiative of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), with a network of more than 20 partner organizations around the globe.

Every year, PLURAL+ gives young people around the world the opportunity to express their vision and their creativity through multimedia production. PLURAL+ invites young people of up to 25-years-old to submit original and creative short films focusing on the themes of migration, diversity, social inclusion, amongst other pressing social issues, while combatting xenophobia and discrimination, countering hate speech, disinformation, and misinformation, as well as promoting dialogue and inclusive narratives.

PLURAL+ Thematic Areas:

PLURAL+ invites short films that explore key global challenges related to migration, diversity, and social inclusion, while engaging with the broader narratives, perceptions, and identity dynamics shaping our societies, including but not limited to the following thematic areas:

Migration: Explores human mobility through a human- centred lens, including the experiences, contributions and challenges of migrants. The theme encourages storytelling that promotes evidence-based and balanced narratives, fosters understanding and inclusion, and counters negative perceptions and misrepresentations of migrants.

Diversity: Highlights cultural diversity as a strength in our societies. It encourages exploration of how perceptions and narratives influence attitudes toward different communities and promotes mutual respect and understanding across different identities.

Social Inclusion: Promotes equal opportunities and meaningful participation for all individuals, particularly those in vulnerable and marginalized situations settings. The theme explores stories and narratives that foster social cohesion in diverse societies.

Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue: Promotes dialogue as a means to foster mutual understanding, strengthen social cohesion, and prevent identity-based tensions.

Countering Hate Speech, Disinformation and Misinformation: Promotes positive and responsible narratives that foster mutual respect and support more inclusive and constructive public discourse, while countering the spread of harmful narratives, including hate speech, disinformation and misinformation, and encouraging the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence, digital platforms and emerging technologies.

Combating Xenophobia and Discrimination: Amplifies narratives that combat racism, xenophobia, and all forms of discrimination, including those based on religion, belief, or ethnicity.

PLURAL+ Videos

PLURAL+ video entries are five minutes maximum in length and can be of any genre (including animation, documentary, music video, comedy, etc.) as long as they convey a message that can contribute to making the audience think in constructive ways about the cross-cutting issues of migration, diversity, social inclusion, among other cross-cutting social issues. In addition, videos can be in any language as long as English subtitles are provided.

PLURAL+ International Jury Distinctions:

PLURAL+ International Jury Distinctions are conferred according to three age categories:

up to 12 years old;
13-17 years old; and
18-25 years old.

An International Jury helps select three recipients of PLURAL+ International Jury Distinctions in each age category, based on impact, creativity, originality, and relevance to the festival’s themes.

PLURAL+ Special Recognitions:

In addition, UNAOC will confer recognitions in the following special categories:

The Special Recognition for Combating Xenophobia and Discrimination will be conferred to a video that promotes mutual respect and highlights global issues of xenophobia and discrimination. This includes discrimination based on ethnicity, religion or belief, including antisemitism, Christianophobia, Islamophobia, and other forms of intolerance against other religions and faiths.

The Special Recognition for Responsible Narratives on Migration will be conferred to a video portraying efforts to tackle online misinformation and disinformation affecting migrants, while promoting ethical storytelling and dissemination of accurate, fact-based information from reliable sources.

The Special Recognition on AI for #OneHumanity will be conferred to a video harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to foster intercultural and interreligious dialogue, through ethical and responsible means. This includes exploring how AI can be used as a force for good to advance inclusive and responsible digital narratives, strengthen mutual understanding, and contribute to positive social impact.

PLURAL+ Partner Recognitions:

Each year, PLURAL+ partner organizations also grant recognitions and professional opportunities to more than 20 videos every year.

PLURAL+ Recipients

Videos are chosen on the basis of their potential to have an impact on the audience, as well as on their artistic, innovative, and creative content. The recipients of the PLURAL+ International Jury Distinctions and Special Categories will be invited, all expenses paid, to participate in the PLURAL+ Ceremony, which will take place in late 2026.

Selected films also benefit from continued global visibility through screenings and distribution through United Nations platforms and partner networks around the world.

You can find out more about past PLURAL+ Annual Ceremonies and other relevant news through the Press Room.

PLURAL+ in Numbers

Since its inception, videos recognized through PLURAL+ have been selected among thousands of video entries from more than 100 countries. They have been screened and broadcast in dozens of festivals, movie theaters and television networks around the world, as well as in schools and global conferences, and they have received more than one million views on various online platforms, including YouTube and Vimeo.

Now in its 18th year, PLURAL+ was jointly established by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and has since evolved into a global platform for youth media distribution.