The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Dec. 9 the winners of the Taiwan Young Lions Competition, an annual social media contest for youths, during a ceremony at Tamkang University in New Taipei City.
Each year, the MOFA invites local youths to create social media campaigns that increase awareness of Taiwan’s natural beauty and commitment to playing a more significant role in the international community.
According to the ministry, this year’s competition attracted 39 submissions, which can all be viewed on the MOFA-organized Trending Taiwan YouTube channel. A total of 29 two-member teams made it to the finals, where contestants were given 24 hours to produce a one-minute video on Taiwan’s efforts to expand its international participation.
First place and a prize of NT$250,000 (US$8,333) went to Lin Jung-an and Lee Hsin-ning, who impressed the judges with their Taiwan Emoji Project, a series of emojis depicting iconic features of Taiwan such as bubble milk tea and the Taipei 101 skyscraper.
Second place, which also came with a NT$250,000 prize, went to Chuang Chih-yuan and Fan Chun-ta for their online ambient music that fuses original electronic compositions with sounds recorded in some of Taiwan’s most iconic locales such as beaches, night markets and forests. The “white noise” soundtracks are designed for a variety of purposes, such as relaxation or concentration.
In addition to the cash prizes, the two winning teams will also act as Taiwan’s representatives to the Young Lions Competition slated for June 18-22 next year in Cannes, France. Lin and Lee will compete in the digital category, while Chuang and Fang will compete for best film.
The Taiwan Young Lions Competition is organized by the MOFA in collaboration with Taipei City-based event management company Kleinerfisch, which represents Taiwan at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, branded as one of the largest events geared toward the creative and marketing communications industry.
According to the ministry, Trending Taiwan has added over 600 video clips showcasing the diversity and vitality of Taiwan and its people since its YouTube channel’s inauguration in 2015. (CPY-E)
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