With the support of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), the EU Neighbours South (EUNS) regional communication programme is organising a comic strip competition in the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia.

The competition is taking place from 19 April to 16 May 2021 and is open to amateur or professional illustrators/comic artists, over 18 years of age. The contest is inviting participants to create a comic strip inspired from the success story of a beneficiary(ies) of EU-funded/supported project(s) in the Southern Mediterranean region.

Through this first edition, the competition will reward the three most talented artists in addition to offering one of the finalists the opportunity to join our team and become the illustrator of choice for the EUNS project for the year 2021.

Why?

Through its activities and editorial content, the EU Neighbours South programme promotes the European Union’s (EU) cooperation and partnerships in Southern-Mediterranean countries and showcases the concrete and positive impact of projects funded/supported by the EU throughout the region. 

Through stories that are human-centric and grounded in reality, the EUNS programme recounts the successful journey of those who have received support from the EU through bilateral or regional programmes by highlighting facts and concrete results. Whether their journeys are professional, academic or community-oriented, they are always inspiring and motivating.    

The project regularly publishes content in writing and sometimes translates success stories into videos. To make this written content more accessible and engaging for the wider public and more specifically young people in particular, the EUNS programme is looking to collaborate with amateur or professional illustrators/comic artists to create series of comic strips and/or books (depending on the length of the story) inspired from the success stories. This approach will add innovation and originality to the EUNS’s communication content, and is in line with its ambition to support young talent and promote creative and artistic talents.

What?

The aim is to create an 8-quadrant comic book strip in colour, illustrating the success story or journey of one or several of those who have benefited from EU projects.

What stories?

Each participant must select one of the five following stories and illustrate it by creating a comic book:

• Performances of an inmate: when the theatre breathes an air of freedom into Tunisian prisons (ENG – AR – FR)
• Love your country: recycle! A Lebanese app makes recycling easy and accessible (ENG – AR – FR)
• Caught up in the nets mended by the women of Cherchell (ENG – AR – FR)
• Tateh, the Hamada Eco Builder (ENG – AR – FR)
• Hijra wa Himaya: working in the best interests of child migrants in Morocco (ENG – AR – FR)

Who?

Entry to the competition is free of charge and open to comic book enthusiasts, over 18 years of age, from one of the following countries: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria and Tunisia.

Prizes

Three valuable prizes will be awarded at the end of the regional comic book competition. Among the finalists, EUNS will choose one artist who will be the EUNS featured illustrator for 2021. 

When?

The regional comic book competition will take place from 19 April to 16 May 2021

• 17 May: Publication of comic books received on FB & Instagram and call for public vote

• 24 May: Selection of 6 comic book finalists and choice of 3 winners by the jury

• 27 May: Winners announced during an online ceremony

Find out more on the prizes, general terms & conditions:

• General Terms & conditions
• Application form

For more information or to ask your questions about the contest, email us at info@euneighbours.eu