The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, in collaboration with American Spaces in Uzbekistan, announces the launch of a poetry contest titled Video Poetry to celebrate 30 years of U.S.-Uzbek partnership, United Nations English Language Day and National Poetry Month. Anyone wishing to demonstrate their talent can participate by reciting a poem in Uzbek or English and posting it on Instagram. The competition will run virtually from April 1, 2021 to April 18, 2021. Winners in the Best Uzbek-Language Poem and Best English-Language Poem categories will receive poetry tablets and books and have their video posted on the U.S. Embassy and American Spaces social media channels.
The Contest will take place on Instagram.
Rules:
- Participants should make a short video (one minute or less) recitation of a poem in Uzbek or English, follow the United States Embassy in Tashkent and American Spaces in Uzbekistan pages, and post the video to Instagram using #USUZ30 #Americanspacesinuzbekistan and #Usembassytashkent. Submissions must include all three hashtags.
- Poems must be written by a modern or classic American poet, translated into Uzbek or their native English.
- Each candidate can submit up to two poems (one in Uzbek and one in English) in the style of poetry they want.
- The deadline for submission of poems is midnight, April 18.
- No age limit for applicants.
- Open to all Uzbek citizens.
Criteria for choosing a winner:
- Quality of delivery of the poem (verbal or gestural language)
- Creativity
- Video beauty (background attractiveness, video clarity, etc.)
- Technical quality
A panel of expert judges will make a selection according to the above criteria and select two winners – one in Uzbek and another in English. The winners will be announced on the American Embassy and American Spaces in Uzbekistan social media pages on English Language Day on April 23.
- April 1-18 – Launch of the contest. Candidates submit their work on Instagram.
- April 18-22 – Selection of the winners by the jury of experts.
- April 23 – The announcement of the winners and the winning videos will be published on the American Embassy and American Spaces in Uzbekistan social media pages.
