Freetown: The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), in collaboration with the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Sierra Leone, has announced a national video competition titled 'China-Sierra Leone Cooperation in My Eyes'. This initiative commemorates the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone and aligns with the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges set for 2026.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, the competition invites Sierra Leoneans from all walks of life to submit short videos that creatively reflect on the relations and cooperation between China and Sierra Leone. The aim is to strengthen people-to-people friendships and showcase shared development experiences, highlighting the positive impact of this bilateral cooperation from the perspective of Sierra Leoneans.
The competition is open to a wide array of participants, including journalists, media practitioners, content creators, students, academics, and community storytellers. Collaborative works between Sierra Leonean and Chinese creators are welcomed, provided the primary focus remains on Sierra Leonean perspectives.
Participants are encouraged to explore various themes in their videos, such as stories of friendship, China's contributions to Sierra Leone's development across multiple sectors, cultural exchanges, and youth stories showcasing collaboration in achieving dreams. The competition also seeks visions and expectations for the future of China-Sierra Leone cooperation, including sustainable development and initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Technical requirements stipulate that videos should be a maximum of five minutes in length and can be in formats like interviews, short documentaries, vlogs, or animations. The videos must be submitted in MP4, AVI, MOV, or WMV formats, with a minimum resolution of 1920 — 1080 (Full HD) and a maximum file size of 500MB. All content must be original, and participants must own full copyrights to their work.
Submissions are to be emailed to [email protected] with the subject format: Creator's Name - Video Title - Phone Number. The call for entries is now open, and the deadline for submissions is 31st March 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of experts from SLAJ and the Chinese Embassy. Winning entries will be awarded cash prizes and certificates of recognition, with outstanding videos showcased on the Chinese Embassy's social media platforms and other media outlets.
This competition is jointly organized by SLAJ and the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Sierra Leone, encouraging Sierra Leoneans to share their stories and experiences, thus enriching public understanding of China-Sierra Leone cooperation through creativity and storytelling.