I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

  1. Regulations for the video competition of the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (hereinafter referred to as the “Organizer”) project “Generation Z” (hereinafter referred to as the “Competition”) and the award of the prize (hereinafter referred to as the “Prize”) regulate the procedure for organizing this competition, the eligibility of participants, the requirements for the submitted works, the procedure for evaluating and announcing winners and awarding the prize.
  2. The aim of the Competition is to engage and empower young people aged 14 to 29 from NATO member and partner countries to actively participate in shaping the future of energy security, particularly regarding resilience.
  3. The winners shall be awarded a prize and letter of commendation from the Organizer. The prizes are as follows:
    3.1. First Prize: 300€;
    3.2. People’s Choice Award: 200€;
    3.3. Small gifts for the TOP 5 entries.
  4. The selection and evaluation of the works submitted to the Competition shall be carried out by the Competition Jury (hereinafter referred to as the “Commission”). For the second prize category, the winner shall be determined based on the results of a public vote, conducted in accordance with the procedures and criteria established by the Organizer.
  5. All entries must be submitted by 31st May 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted. The results of the Competition, including the names of the winners, will be announced by 30th September 2026 through the Organizer’s official channels.

II. ELIGIBILITY

  1. The Competition is open to participants who meet the following criteria:
    6.1. Entrants must be nationals of member states of NATO or NATO active partner countries1, or be affiliated with an educational institution located within such member or partner countries;
    6.2. Entrants must be between 14 and 29 years of age at the time of submission of their entry.

III. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

  1. Videos must be in English or include English subtitles or a translation.
  2. Each video must be between 3 and 14 minutes in length.
  3. Submissions must be the original work of the participant(s). Group submissions are allowed; one participant must be designated as the primary contact person.
  4. Videos must not contain offensive, unlawful, or otherwise harmful content. Any submission in violation of these requirements will be disqualified.
  5. By submitting an entry, participants grant the Organizer a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, reproduce, publish, and display the video for promotional, educational, and communication purposes related to the Competition.

IV. THE COMMISSION’S WORK AND THE PROCEDURE FOR AWARDING THE PRIZE

  1. All videos submitted to the Competition shall be evaluated by the Commission. The Commission shall have full authority to assess the entries, determine compliance with the Competition rules, and decide on the winners, in accordance with the established criteria. The composition of the Commission may be determined by the Organizer at its discretion.
  2. The main evaluation criteria are:
    13.1. Relevance to the Competition Theme: the extent to which the video addresses and reflects the objectives of the Competition;
    13.2. Originality and Creativity: the uniqueness of the concept, approach, and storytelling;
    13.3. Content Quality and Clarity: accuracy of information, strength of message, and coherence of structure;
    13.4. Technical Quality: overall production quality, including visuals, sound, and editing;
    13.5. Impact and Engagement: the ability of the video to engage the audience and effectively communicate its message.
  3. For the Second Prize category, the winner shall be determined based on the results of a public vote, conducted according to the procedures established by the Organizer.
  4. The prizes are awarded from the funds of the Organizer.
  5. The winners of the competition shall be announced and the prizes approved under these Regulations shall be awarded digitally by a representative of the Commission. Winners will be informed by 30th September 2026.
  6. A maximum of one entry may be submitted per participant for the competition. Jointly authored videos are allowed; the prize amount will be divided equally among co-authors.

[1] The list of NATO member countries is available here, and the list of active partner nations is available here.