Call for entries: UNESCO #DontGoViral campaign

The initiative is part of an online campaign dubbed #DoNotGoViral, which seeks to:

• Fight disinformation on COVID-19.
• Spread awareness about how to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
• Harness the power of the diversity of creative content and creators on the continent.
• Use culturally relevant and openly licensed information in local African languages to reach different communities.

The #DoNotGoViral was launched on 1 April, with Ugandan musician and MP Bobi Wine openly licensing his latest release 'Corona Virus Alert' for the campaign.

Bobi Wine encouraged other artists to do the same and invited creatives all over the world to join the #DontGoViral campaign. So far, more than 40 artists have requested to translate, remix and adapt the song to ensure maximum dissemination.

"The voice and influence of innovators and artists and the role of the cultural and creative industries in information and awareness-raising cannot be over-estimated," UNESCO said. "Artists can share and amplify crucial information among fans and followers, reaching an immense audience by using their talent and diverse forms of cultural expressions to engage with people in response to the crisis."

UNESCO has also partnered with record labels like RM Societe and Sony ATV to give African producers and writers an opportunity to globally spread the sounds and voices of the continent.

"The first video produced as part of this campaign, #SeparateAndTogether, was translated into more than a dozen languages in the first 48 hours after it was released," UNESCO said. 

Useful information

The #DontGoViral campaign will be conducted in at least 45 African countries. i4Policy has donated $5 000 for the best campaigns submitted. 

Participants will be expected to:

• Mobilise and develop information campaigns to support national and global health agencies to reach the most at-risk communities.
• Use the local language and create content to combat the spread of disinformation.

The submission deadline is 15 April 2020. 

Interested artists can access more guidelines and the online application form here. 

For inquiries, email Sasha Rubel at s.rubel@unesco.org. 

View the original UNESCO announcement here.