Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu, [email protected]
LOCAL content creators and storytellers have been invited to turn their cameras towards the everyday experiences, relationships and interactions that define the enduring ties between Zimbabwe and China through a new short-video competition launched by the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe.
The initiative, titled “Our Friendship, Our Bond: China-Zimbabwe Ties Through My Eyes”, aims to give Zimbabwean creators an opportunity to document how they perceive and experience the relationship between the two countries through their own lenses.
The contest comes as 2026 has been designated the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, providing a platform for creators to explore the partnership beyond official engagements, diplomatic meetings and bilateral agreements.
Through short-form video content, participants are being encouraged to tell stories centred on personal experiences, co-operation between the two nations, people-to-people connections and shared development.
The embassy is specifically seeking authentic perspectives, emphasising that the China-Zimbabwe relationship can also be understood through everyday encounters and personal stories rather than solely through diplomatic and political narratives.
The competition is open to Zimbabwean nationals, with both individuals and small teams of up to three members eligible to participate.
Entries may take various forms, including vlogs, short documentaries, micro-films and interview clips, giving creators considerable freedom to interpret the theme according to their preferred storytelling style.
The embassy has stipulated that all submitted videos must be original and unpublished.
The preferred duration is between one and three minutes, although entries of up to five minutes will be considered. Videos must be submitted in MP4 format with a minimum resolution of 720p. There is no entry fee, making the competition accessible to content creators who already possess the basic tools needed to produce short-form digital content.
Beyond the creative challenge, the contest also highlights changing ways in which audiences engage with stories about international relations. Traditionally, public understanding of relations between countries has largely been shaped by official statements, state visits, agreements and institutional announcements.
Short-form digital storytelling, however, offers an opportunity to view those relationships through individual experiences, ranging from education and business to culture, technology and everyday social interactions.
The embassy’s call therefore positions content creators as cultural storytellers, encouraging them to reflect on what the China-Zimbabwe relationship looks like from their own perspective.
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The competition’s emphasis on personal experiences could also create space for a diverse range of narratives shaped by different backgrounds and life experiences.
A student, for instance, may approach the subject from a different angle to an entrepreneur, artist, researcher, traveller or community member who has interacted with Chinese nationals, businesses or institutions.
At the same time, participants will need to carefully consider the conditions attached to submitting their work. According to the competition rules, creators will assign full copyright ownership of their entries to the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe upon submission.
Creators will, however, receive appropriate credit whenever their work is displayed, shared or promoted. Selected entries may also be screened and publicised by the embassy and partner platforms for non-commercial purposes without additional compensation.
Submission of an entry will constitute acceptance of these copyright conditions.
The embassy is expected to host an awards ceremony before the end of the year, although the exact date has yet to be announced.
Creators wishing to participate must submit their video together with a 150-word introduction, their full name, affiliation or school and WhatsApp contact number.
The deadline for submissions is October 10, with late entries not to be considered.
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