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LAU students’ water conservation video takes top prize at iChange global competition

Three SArD students receive first prize at the 26th GrandPrix Advertising Strategies event in Milan, Italy.

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Asfour (left) and Chaouki receiving their prize at the ceremony.

Thirty seconds may not seem very significant, but three LAU students proved that it is more than enough time to make a lasting impact. In May, architecture students Nadia Afsour, Selina Chaouki and Elias El Hage, received first prize at the iChange Competition for their award-winning 30-second video about tackling climate change titled “What’s More Precious?”.

The short film was submitted for entry at the 26th GrandPrix Advertising Strategies in Milan, Italy, in a competition open to students from around the globe to create a forceful 30-second video messages about climate change aimed to raise awareness, promote action, offer solutions and inspire change.

“What’s More Precious?” shows a young woman coming home to find her boyfriend conserving water. The twist? He is doing it by bathing with another woman. Caught red-handed, the young man deadpans: “It’s not what it looks like, we are just saving water.” The video ends with a message: ‘Shower together and save 7300 gallons of water a year.’

Combining humor and creativity, the LAU trio competed with over 248 entries from over 165 universities in 66 different countries around the world.

“This competition has inspired us to believe in ourselves and our creativity,” says Asfour in a thank you message she posted online. “Imagination is a beautiful gift and when used properly, it can have a powerful impact on others. It is a necessary tool in the fight against global warming,” she adds.

The yearly event is organized under the auspices of the organization Connect4Climate and was attended by close to 2000 international media, film, advertising, marketing and communications professionals that collectively determined the winner by popular vote. The students received a €5,000 scholarship and won the opportunity to have their video featured at international film festivals in Cannes, New York and Beijing. They will also have the opportunity to intern with a media company in New York City, as part of the art direction team.

“We are thankful that the Connect4Climate team subtly pushed us to make positive bonds with the other students. We all stuck together and received such wonderful support throughout the event,” says Chaouki.

Echoing Chawki’s sentiment, Asfour says how important it was to hear the students’ voices and to see how eager they are to tackle climate change. “I hope that we can all work together in the future in order to build a sustainable environment,” she adds.

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