ICEl Reels Competition 2026
Brief Background
The ICA-APâs committee on Cooperatives in Educational Institutions (ICEI), has a mandate of promoting the growth of cooperatives within the educational institutions, largely by engaging teachers, staffs and students as members. The core objective behind this effort is to promote youth involvement in cooperatives, instilling cooperative values, principles and intent at an early stage of their lives.
In todayâs digital era, social media enabled Reels have emerged as an efficient tool for engaging young minds in the format most actively consumed and created by them. These visual storytelling tools encourages creativity, peer-to-peer communication, and authentic expression of ideas. With this context, the Committee has envisioned organizing a âReels Competitionâ involving students from schools, colleges, and universities in Asia-pacific region, providing them with a creative platform to express their understanding of cooperation and its relevance in their everyday lives and communities.
Objectives of the Event: To connect cooperatives with youth in digital spaces, increase their interest, expression, and participation in the cooperative movement across the Asia-Pacific region.
 Themes and Sub-themes
Competitionâs Main Theme: Cooperatives Build a Better Tomorrow
Further, participants may create their reels from one of (but not limited to) the following areas:
- Which Cooperative Principle do you live by?
- My Campus Cooperative Story
- My Cooperative, My future
- Environmental and Social Impact of Cooperatives
- Cooperatives as Spaces of Solidarity and Empowerment
Note: The theme of the competition need not be strictly on the above listed areas alone and can be quite broad-based to represent a cooperative idea, principle, values, experience or activity.
Eligibility: Who can Participate?Â
- Participation is open to all individuals aged 13 years and above, including students, faculty, and any interested individuals, provided that submissions adhere to the given theme.
- Entries can be submitted either individually or as a group (up to 5 members). (An individual can only be a member of one participating team.)
- Each group can submit only one video entry.
Awards
| Prize | Reward |
|---|---|
| 1st Prize | USD 400 |
| 2nd Prize | USD 250 |
| 3rd Prize | USD 150 |
| Special Mention Awards | Four Winners (USD 50 each) |
| All Participants | E-certificates of participation |
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Technical & Submission Guidelines
- Video Duration: Reels: 60 seconds
- Format: .mp4 / .mov | Non-fiction/ Documentary only
- Aspect Ratio: Mandatory 9:16 (vertical format)
- Resolution: 720p â 1080p
- Language: Any language, but English subtitles are mandatory
- Audio: Should be clear and audible
- Style: Reels should be dynamic, fast-paced, and optimised for social media.
- Credits: Include names & affiliations of contributors; credit others where due
- Proof of Affiliation: Participation is open to all individuals aged 13 years and above, including students, faculty, and any interested individuals, provided that submissions adhere to the given theme.
- Social media promotions: The reels should not be posted on participantsâ social media or any other platform throughout the competition duration.
- Compliance & Permissions: You are responsible for obtaining all necessary permissions and ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
- Content Tags (use at least 2): #YouthinCoops # ICEI #CoopsinEducation #ICAAP #Ilovecoops #CoopYouth
- Disqualification Criteria: Entries will be disqualified if: Paid promotions or paid engagement are used on the reel, Copyrighted content is detected and AI-generated content is used without proper labelling
Judging Criteria
| S. No. | Criteria | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Relevance to Theme | 25% |
| 2 | Creativity & Storytelling | 25% |
| 3 | Cooperative Values & Impact | 20% |
| 4 | Visual & Audio Quality | 15% |
| 5 | Social Media Outreach â likes, shares, reposts, comments | 15% |
How to Submit
- Registration: Participants must complete a short online registration form. Â
- Upload your videos to a shared drive along with the following documents:
- Team details: Team membersâ (Individual/Group) names and details (affiliation, year of study, institution, country, etc.). It should be noted that in case of group/team entries, one designated representative must be identified for official communication. This designated participant will be considered the official point of contact for the competition.
- A brief description (max. 100 words) of the video.
Send the shared drive link to Dr. Shrija Sinha, Secretary, ICEI, at shrija.sinha@icaap.coop with the subject line: ICEI Reels Competition 2026 â [Your Name or Teamâs point of contactâs name, Institution, Country]
Timeline
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 18 â 20 February 2026 | Competition Launch |
| 10th April 2026 | Extended Deadline for Registration and Expression of Interest |
| 30th  April 2026 | Extended Last Date for Submissions |
| 1st Mayâ30th May 2026 |
|
| July 2026 | Winners Announced and top entries screening on the ICA-APâs website |
*Note: ICA-AP will upload all submissions on its Instagram page on 1st  May. Participants are encouraged to promote their entry by sharing or reposting the reel from ICA-APâs page and helping increase engagement. However, participants must not upload the reel on their own social media accounts
Outreach and Use
Winning entries may be:
- Published on the ICA-AP website and social media
- Used for promotional and educational purposes (with co-ownership rights)
Contact
For any questions or clarifications, reach out to Dr. Shrija Sinha,  Secretary, ICEI, at shrija.sinha@icaap.coop