The map of Africa with camera lense,/PHOTO; By AI
Rome-based Catholic development foundation Harambee Africa International (HAI) has announced the 11th edition of its International Award, “Conveying Africa – Telling the Africa that Surprises,” a global storytelling contest designed to promote authentic, hopeful, and nuanced narratives about the African continent.
The announcement was made during the October 1–3 BeDoCare Conference, co-organized by HAI and held at Strathmore University in Nairobi, Kenya, and welcomes entries from storytellers in Africa and beyond, with the deadline for submitting entries set for 15 June 2026.
Speaking at the close of the conference, Johanna Power Valiquette, Director of Harambee USA, where the award ceremony will be hosted, said the initiative seeks to move beyond one-dimensional portrayals of Africa.
The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on 10 October 2026 in Washington, DC.
According to Valiquette, the contest will welcome content that reflects the continent’s diversity and lived realities, “far from stereotypes.”
She said the award celebrates “an Africa that surprises with its creativity, the resourcefulness of its people, locally generated solutions, community strength, cultural richness, and social and technological innovation.”
“The Prize seeks to give space to stories that reveal a continent in transformation: not denying the difficulties, but highlighting the daily commitment, courage, and capacity for change,” she added.
The competition is open to audiovisual productions that explore themes of development, innovation, inclusion, and solidarity.
To ensure a fair evaluation, entries have been divided into four categories based on the producer’s profile.
The first category is for professional individual productions created by video-makers, journalists, or independent professionals.
The second category targets non-profit organization productions developed by organizations with social missions.
The third category is reserved for commercial entity productions, including those created by agencies, broadcasters, or production companies with greater technical and financial resources.
Productions submitted under these three categories must not exceed 60 minutes.
The fourth category is designed for young creatives under the age of 25.
Participants in this category are required to submit short videos with a maximum duration of five minutes, offering emerging storytellers an accessible entry point into the competition.
Across all four categories, direct experience in Africa is not a mandatory requirement.
However, HAI encourages stories that reflect themes of personal growth, resilience, coexistence, solidarity, integration, and inclusion.
Priority will be given to productions that offer fresh and original perspectives on contemporary Africa.
These include stories highlighting education and training as foundations for personal development and sustainable social progress; the protection of human dignity regardless of social, economic, or cultural background; and solidarity and cooperation as pillars of community life.
Other priority themes include the role of the family as a nucleus for social growth, positive integration within Western societies, innovation and entrepreneurship in the service of the common good, and access to clean and sustainable energy as a driver of education, healthcare, and community resilience.
Winners in categories A, B, and C will each receive a monetary prize of €1,500, subject to applicable tax regulations, while the young creatives category will share a total prize of €500.
The previous edition of “Communicating Africa” in 2024 similarly sought to amplify stories that highlight the continent’s potential, creativity, and transformative change, reinforcing HAI’s long-standing commitment to reshaping how Africa is represented globally.
About Harambee Africa International (HAI)
Harambee Africa International (HAI) is a Rome-based Catholic development foundation established to promote a more accurate, dignified, and people-centred understanding of Africa.
Founded in 2002, HAI works to challenge stereotypes about the continent by supporting initiatives that highlight African-led development, social innovation, education, and community resilience.
Through research, advocacy, cultural initiatives, and storytelling platforms such as the “Conveying Africa” International Award, HAI seeks to amplify narratives that reflect Africa’s complexity, creativity, and capacity for transformation while fostering dialogue between Africa and the global community.
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