What is this all about?
Our 10th annual Teens Dream global video changemaker challenge on the UN SDGs opens this Fall, September 30, 2023. The challenge is open to teens anywhere in the world! Teen participants have till January 23rd, 2024 to upload a short video (up to 2 minutes) that relates to one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and articulates what they would do to address that challenge! Familiarize yourself with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Make sure to read the judging rubric here and scroll down for contest rules. Winners can receive up to $1000 and be eligible for a full scholarship to attend the UN High Level Political Forum in July 2024!
“The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.” Check out our website and the SDG rap video to learn more!
All teen submitters receive a full page on our website with their submission. Submitters will be invited to join our SDG Hubs where they work with other teens globally and adult mentors to receive support on their project ideas and work collaboratively on other projects as interested. Winners receive special mentoring, a certificate and have their solution showcased in our annual virtual Fall celebration!
We utilize the Teens Dream video challenge to inspire teens to make the world a better place. Winners will be announced at our spring virtual celebration and will have five months to start implementing their vision for action and be recognized at our Fall celebration and given a certificate. Their names and videos are also showcased in our Virtual Reality Rooms! There will be 10 winners of which the top three will receive monetary prizes of $1000, $500 and $250. Those winners who get active in our Hubs and stay engaged would be eligible to apply for a fellowship for a free trip to the United Nations HLPF in July.
We invite all submitters to join our SDG Hubs! All Submitters also have a full page on our website and their video is listed in our Youtube Channel! Many submitters will become active in our SDG Hubs and some may even lead a Hub and join us at in-person events. This past summer Co Lab Hub teens attended the United Nations High Level Political Forum in New York!
Our goal is to build a global community of teen changemakers working with adult mentors and partner organizations to act on global challenges as outlined in the SDGs. See our hundreds of prior submissions and winners of our annual Teens Dream Video Competition from over 50 countries! Join us in submitting your video. Start now! What are you waiting for?
If you have problems with your submission, please convert your video to youtube or Vimeo and put that link on the submission page. Email us if you have questions at staff@globalcolab.net
Video Competition Rules
- You must be 13 to 18 years old!
- You can be from anywhere in the world, but the video must be in English.
- You may work individually or as a group, but one person must apply and represent on behalf of the group.
- Parents and adults can be advisors but shall not have any hands on involvement.
- You can submit videos multiple years in a row, but if you win, you can’t win twice in a row.
- All submitters must have verified contact information.
- Immediate family members of the organizers are ineligible to submit!
Create a 2 minutes or less video that expresses your dream, how it relates to one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and how you, as an agent of change, plan to see it realized.
Videos will be judged based on the criteria outlined in the Rubric. The video must be appropriate for viewers who are 10 years and older. Individuals or groups may submit one video per SDG Category. Upload your video to the Teens Dream website starting October 2, 2022 – with a closing deadline of January 23rd, 2023 at 11:59PM EST.
The video opening title must read “2023 Teens Dream – (a name that highlights your dream, for example “2023 Teens Dream – Global Equality”).
The video closing title should be at least 4 seconds with the following text: “Submitted to the 2023 Teens Dream Video Competition: Changemaker Challenge
Click the “Submit Now” button below and fill out the simple submission page — which opens on the Teens Dream website September 30th, 2023. Be sure you read carefully and approve the terms and conditions.
Judges will review all video submissions and select the top ten winning videos, based on the criteria listed in the Judging Rubric. Each of the top 10 finalists will receive a certificate and the top three will receive a monetary prize up to $1000 and all winners will be eligible to apply for a scholarship to attend the UN HLPF in July in New York City. They will be featured on the Teens Dream website and acknowledged accordingly as winners. They will be notified by email before the end of April, 2024 with details on their winnings and any events planned.
All winners will be asked to present progress on their projects at the 2024 fall celebration.
All winners will be introduced to the Global Co Lab SDG Hubs and strongly encouraged to join with other teens to become agents of change for issues that interest them.
Questions? Contact the team at staff@globalcolab.net.