CSEAS Indonesia

ASEAN Youth Video Speech 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. East and Southeast Asian regions are recognised as the biggest contributors to marine plastic pollution due to rapid economic growth and the lack of solid waste management infrastructure. Indeed, 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 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 changemakers to deliver a 3-minute speech on the theme of Our Future with Plastics based on the recommendations listed in the ASEAN Conference on Combating Plastic Pollution (ACCPP) 2024 Report. This is your opportunity to share insights, raise awareness, and advocate for impactful change in the region.

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.
  • 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
  • Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on:
  • Relevance: The extent to which the speech aligns with the ASEAN Conference on Combating Plastic Pollution 2024 recommendations.
  • Clarity and Delivery: The effectiveness of the speaker’s delivery and how clearly the speech is conveyed.
  • Creativity: Originality and how creatively the speech is presented.
  • Impact: The potential to inspire the audience and motivate action against marine plastic pollution.
  • Originality: Applicants should use their own voice. Voice-overs, including AI-generated voice, are not allowed.
  • Language: All submissions must be in English. Subtitles may be added for clarification, but no other languages are allowed.
  • The winner will be the speech that demonstrates the strongest overall impact in inspiring action, while the runner-up will be selected based on similar criteria.
Panel of Judges (To be confirmed)
  • Director of the Regional Knowledge Centre for Marine Plastic Debris
  • Director of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS)
  • ASEAN Foundation
  • Media
Requirements
  • Format: Landscape, raw video (no editing required), maximum 3 minutes
  • Topic:

    A speech focused on one or more of the recommendations from the ASEAN Conference on Combating Plastic Pollution 2024.

  • Evaluation: One winner and one runner up will be selected for Best Speech.
  • 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 Video Speech Challenge 9 April – 30 June
3 minutes 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 Video Speech Challenge, please contact this email: youth.competition2025@gmail.com.