Would you like to change the way Finland sees Africa?
20.3.2024
Beyond Stereotypes is a competition to find new a new way of representing Africa in Finland to Finnish people. The competition is run by the Deaconess Foundation in cooperation with Filantropia ry.
Beyond Stereotypes wants to change how Sub-Saharan Africa is perceived in Finland, to get as many people as possible to talk about the issue and to involve the public in suggesting solutions. We aim to find fresh and genuine ways of showing Sub-Saharan Africa.
Some of the entries will be used as a basis for a media campaign in Finland, a campaign that offers a contemporary, fair and respectful representation of Africa.
We are interested in any content, including videos, podcasts, articles, visual art or testimonials that showcase Africa. If it can be sent via email, post or delivered to our headquarters, Beyond Stereotypes will consider it.
Who can enter
Beyond Stereotypes warmly welcomes absolutely everyone to submit entries. The challenge is open to individuals or groups from all walks of life, regardless of background or expertise. Whether you’re a student, a group of friends, a seasoned professional, a media agency, an emerging talent, or simply someone passionate about the subject, you are welcome to join. Your unique point of view is welcome and encouraged.
The prize
The ideas you send to us will inspire a communications campaign focused on transforming the Finnish public’s perceptions of Africa. Your work will receive recognition and exposure. It’s not just a prize; it’s an opportunity to shake up the system and become an influencer in shaping how Finland sees Africa. However, the three most interesting ideas will receive a 250 € S group gift card.
How to Enter:
Create and submit your experiment or your masterpiece:
- Email the piece to sara.haavisto@hdl.fi
- If it is a format that can’t be sent by email, please contact us for a YouTube or WeTransfer link, or send the work to Deaconess Foundation: Sara Tabrizizadeh-Haavisto, Diakonissalaitos, Alppikatu 2, 00530 Helsinki
- If the project has to be delivered physically, please contact us for instructions using the same email.
- Your proposal should reach us by April 30th 2024.
While we are open to applications in English please provide a Finnish translation. The campaign will be carried out in Finland and in Finnish.
Winner selection
A team of experts selected by the Deaconess Foundation and Filantropia will choose the three proposals that they believe have the best chance of changing the current perceptions or prejudices of Finns about sub-Saharan Africa.
The winners will be notified personally by email by 30 April 2024. The Deaconess Foundation will pay the lottery tax on the prizes. Winners may refuse to accept the prize.
Terms of entry
We ask that participants ensure that any images, videos or other items used are credited and that they have permission to use these items. By submitting your work to the Beyond Stereotype project:
- Participants confirm that they have not and shall not, infringe any third-party intellectual property rights in submitting their entries.
- Participants confirm that they have written consent from every photographed person and the legal guardians of children under 18 years of age.
- The contestant also agrees that the Helsinki Deaconess Institute Foundation will have the unconditional, non-exclusive and perpetual right to use these submitted items in any way it sees fit, including on its website and in promotional materials. The Foundation may also modify the submissions as needed and provide them to the media for free.
If the Helsinki Deaconess Institute Foundation is unable to use any of the products provided by the contributor due to legal issues or infringement of intellectual property rights, the contributor will take the necessary steps to resolve the situation at their own cost. This may include
- obtaining the unrestricted rights for the Foundation to continue using the product
- replacing or modifying the product with non-infringing alternatives, or
- refunding the full price paid by the Foundation for the right to have or use the items
The Deaconess Foundation confirms that the entrant will have complete ownership of the copyright for all present, future, or potential items submitted to the contest, in accordance with copyright laws worldwide.
This is the translation of the actual terms and conditions of the competition. Please see the original terms in the Finnish version of this page.
Processing of personal data
The personal data you provide when participating in the competition will be processed in accordance with data protection legislation. By submitting your proposal you agree that your personal data will be processed according to our privacy policy.
The Beyond Stereotypes competition is run by Partnering for Change, a global education project within the Deaconess Foundation’s development cooperation programme, in cooperation with Filantropia ry. The development cooperation programme of the Deaconess Foundation is implemented with the support of development cooperation funds from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland.