Planet Forward Storyfest Awards: Share Your Story for a Chance to Win!

The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards are now open for entries.

This is your chance to tell an inspiring story about our changing world, focusing on solutions that can sustain our planet.

Winning stories will earn a trip to the Galápagos Islands, so it is time to get creative and make an impact.

What Are the Planet Forward Storyfest Awards?

The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards spotlight stories about people, ideas, and breakthroughs that move the world towards a greener future.

The awards celebrate voices that explore solutions for environmental issues like climate justice, conservation, and plastic pollution.

The organisers are looking for stories that are inspiring, meaningful, and thought-provoking.

Categories for Planet Forward Storyfest Awards

You can choose from several categories for your submission:

1. Best Short Video
   • Length: 1-8 minutes
   • Include an article with 50-200 words describing the video.
   • Must be uploaded to Vimeo or YouTube.
2. Best Social Media Video
   • Length: 30-90 seconds
   • Include an article with 50-200 words describing the video.
   • Should be vertically oriented (9:16) and uploaded to Vimeo or YouTube.
3. Best Written Story
   • Length: 600-1,000 words
   • Must feature at least one image and interviews with 2-3 sources.
4. Best Multimedia Story
   • Combination of video, photos, audio, or digital art.
   • Include a written summary of 200-600 words, with each image having a detailed caption.
5. Best Podcast
   • Length: 3-15 minutes
   • Include an article of 50-200 words, a photo, and a full transcript.
   • Must be hosted on platforms like SoundCloud or PodBean.

Special Awards and Prizes

The Planet Forward staff will choose winners in different categories:

• GW Award: Recognises a university student demonstrating storytelling excellence.
• Spotlight Award: Highlights stories focusing on underserved communities and extraordinary environmental leaders.
• Fan Favourite: Selected by voting during the 2025 Planet Forward Summit and through public polling.

The grand prize is an expedition to the Galápagos Islands from 18 July to 27 July 2025 with Lindblad Expeditions.

Who Can Apply?

The Storyfest Awards are open to students from all disciplines.

You can enter up to three stories.

You can work alone or as part of a team.

What Stories Should You Tell?

Stories should focus on innovations and ideas that can make a difference.

Some areas to explore include:

• Food: Ways to feed the world better and reduce waste.
• Water: How to conserve, clean, and provide water where needed.
• Energy: New ways to produce clean energy.
• Mobility: Reducing congestion and the impact of transportation on the environment.
• Built Environment: How to create sustainable homes, cities, and communities.
• Biodiversity: Ways to protect ecosystems.
• Public Health: Connections between climate change and public health.
• Climate Justice: Making environmental policies fair for all communities.

How Will Your Entry Be Judged?

Your entry will be judged on:

1. Creativity and storytelling techniques.
2. Communication skills and production quality.
3. Accuracy of facts and quality of research.
4. Potential impact of your storytelling.

All submissions will be reviewed by the Planet Forward team, and winners will be selected by independent judges.

How to Apply for the Storyfest Awards

To apply:

1. Review the Official Rules of Storyfest Awards.
2. Log into your Planet Forward account or create a new one.
3. Draft your story, check the “This is a Storyfest entry” box, and complete the entry form.
4. Change the story status to “Needs Review” and save it.

You are then all set.

The application deadline is 10 February 2025.

For more information, visit the Planet Forward Storyfest Awards page.

Make your story count, and take part in a journey to inspire change on a global scale.