CSEAS Indonesia

ASEAN Youth Short Video Challenge

Background and Introduction

Plastic is a material that is versatile, resistant, lightweight, and inexpensive to produce, which makes it ubiquitous in our everyday lives. However, the amount of plastic waste released in our environment and its negative effects on our marine ecosystem have attracted increasing scientific concern in recent years. Southeast Asian countries are among the adverse contributors to marine plastic pollution due to rapid economic growth and the lack of solid waste management infrastructure. Indeed, the ASEAN+3 region is estimated to account for about 64% of the world annual leakage of plastic waste to the ocean.

Alarmed by this regional situation, the ASEAN Member States in 2019 welcomed the ASEAN Framework of Action on Marine Debris and adopted the Bangkok Declaration on Combating Marine Debris in ASEAN Region. In May 2021, ASEAN as a group officially launched the ASEAN Regional Action Plan for Combating Marine Debris in the ASEAN Member States (2021-2025), which recognises the urgent need to combat marine litter, including by promoting platforms for knowledge sharing, innovative solutions, and best practices to address this issue. Additionally, discussions to determine the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment is underway, aiming to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024.

Against this regional and international backdrop, the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) has established the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris in 2019 to provide the ASEAN+3 Member States with support in addressing emerging challenges associated with marine plastic debris. One of the missions of the Regional Knowledge Centre is to engage young people in promoting the importance of plastic waste reduction.

We invite young ASEAN content creators to submit a 60-second video on the theme of Our Future with Plastics. Your video should inspire behaviour change related to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R) to reduce plastic pollution Through this event, we aim to amplify youth voices in tackling one of the most pressing environmental issues in our region.

Be creative! The top submissions will be featured on ERIA’s and CSEAS’s platforms, reaching a wide audience to spread awareness.

Please submit your video here by 30 June 2025.

This event is organized by the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) supported by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS).

Eligibility
  • University students aged 18–25, holding the nationality of an ASEAN country: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, with a valid passport or National Identity Card.
  • It must be uploaded on the Instagram Reels and tagged @rkcmpd_eria and @cseas_indonesia.
  • Willing to create and share content about their experiences on social media if selected as the winner.
  • Possess sufficient English proficiency to communicate and create content effectively.
  • Follow at least 1 Regional Knowledge Centre’s and CSEAS’s social media and account:
Regional Knowledge Centre’s CSEAS
o   Instagram

o   LinkedIn

o   Facebook

 o   Instagram

o   LinkedIn

o   Facebook
Evaluation and Selection Process
  • A panel of judges will evaluate entries based on the following criteria:
  • Clarity of Message: How well the content communicates its intended message on encouraging behaviour change among youth in regard to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R) to reduce marine plastic pollution.
  • Creativity: Innovation in using social media platforms and tools to deliver the messages.
  • Engagement: The level of interaction (likes, shares, comments, views) the content has generated.
  • Impact: The potential of the content to inspire behaviour change or raise awareness on marine plastic pollution.
  • The “Best” winner will be the entry with the highest quality content, while the “Popular” winner will be based on the most engagement from viewers.
Panel of Judges (To be confirmed)
  • Director of the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris
  • Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS)
  • ASEAN Foundation
  • Media
Requirements
  • Format: Portrait, maximum 1 minute
  • Topic:

    Behaviour change: Create a compelling video that encourages viewers to adopt Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle practice to reduce plastic waste and/or marine plastic pollution.

  • Evaluation: Two winners will be selected: Best (for the highest quality content) and Popular (for the content with the most social media engagement).
  • Best contestant reward: Monetary compensation for both contestants listed above.
  • Video Requirements:
Copyright
  • By entering the contest, participants acknowledge and guarantee that the submitted video is an original work created solely by the entrant, and that it does not infringe on copyrights, trademarks, and the rights of privacy, publicity, or intellectual property rights of any person or entity.
  • The submitted videos and social media posts will be under the co-ownership of ERIA and the content creators, and can be featured on the Centre’s website and social media platforms.
Action Timeframe 2025
Launch of ASEAN Youth Short Video Challenge 8 April – 30 June
1 minute video submitted here by the deadline 30 June
Shortlisted videos are verified based on eligibility and initial criteria. Identify top entries for technical evaluation 1 – 18 July
Technical evaluation and final selection by judges to determine the top two videos 20 – 31 July
Top two winners announced on website and social media post Early August (TBC)
Online event for final ceremony Mid August (TBC)
Contact Information

Should you have questions regarding the ASEAN Youth Short Video Challenge, please contact this email: youth.competition2025@gmail.com.