Armenia to host first ever virtual social ad festival

A virtual social advertising festival will kick off in Yerevan on September 1, a communication advisor of the event, Mariam Movsisyan, told reporters on Wednesday.

“Our objective is not only do develop the culture of social ad, encouraging professional circles but also to develop the skills of civil activists, because promoting changes in the sector is not achieved solely by force of law. It is necessary to give a chance to the people who are ready to raise problems, representing the situation in a proper manner,” she said.

Movsisyan added that the festival is being organized by the joint initiative of the local NGO Kanachastan and the Russian-Armenian University as part of the Alternative Resources in Media Program.

Noting that it is their first ever attempt, Movsisyan expressed hope that the program will be on-going. She then spoke of the different stages of the initiative.

“At the first stage we invite all volunteers, regardless of experience, to participate in free trainings to be held by specialists of the sector between September 10 and 15. They will be introduced to the objectives of social advertisement and global key issues and instructed on different approaches,” she said, adding that the participation papers can be submitted until September 5.

Movsisyan said the next stage will be a music video contest that will invite not only the participants of the training but also anyone who capable of featuring real life in 30 seconds, raising the existing problems and proposing solutions.

“Students and representatives of civil initiatives, as well as anyone aged 18-35 who is interested in social advertisements, can attend the festival workshop and the contest. Both the training works and the contest materials will be accepted beginning September. The deadline is October 15,” she added.