On March 19, the first Changsha International Communication “Azalea Award” officially launched its global call for submissions. Centered on the spirit of “Connection · Blossoming · Coexistence,” the award invites global creators, communicators, and practitioners to share Changsha stories and present the city’s unique image to the world.
Focusing on international city communication, the inaugural Azalea Award is open to outstanding international communication works, activities, and individuals created or carried out between September 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026, with remarkable achievements in showcasing Changsha’s image and promoting exchanges between China and the world.
The award includes four categories: International News Works, International Communication Products, International Communication Activities, and International Communication Figures. Following the principle of selecting only the best, no more than 10 outstanding projects in each category will receive the annual “Azalea Award,” while 10 projects will receive nomination awards after professional evaluation.
Submission Period
March 19, 2026 – September 30, 2026
Submission Channels
1. Official Email:
Please send submissions to azaleaawards@163.com with the email subject format:
[Project Name + Submission Category + Submitting Organization/Individual + Contact Information]
2. Mobile Application:
Scan the QR code on the official call-for-submissions poster to enter the submission page and complete registration and project submission.
Submission Requirements
1. International News Works
Original news works produced by news organizations that help enhance the international communication capacity and global influence of Chinese civilization, showcase a positive image of Changsha, and have been disseminated on overseas internet platforms or through cooperation with overseas mainstream media and new media outlets.
Media convergence works should be created by news organizations using digital technologies and published for the first time on mobile internet platforms.
2. International Communication Products
(Video / Audio / Images / Publications)
High-quality internet projects that promote positive values, gain broad social recognition, and achieve international influence, including but not limited to:
· Visual art creations
· Photography and video works
· Online literature
· Online audiovisual productions
· Online games
Submissions must provide overseas online distribution and engagement data.
Projects that introduce outstanding Chinese culture to international markets through translation, promotion, overseas distribution, exhibitions, screenings, or other channels are also eligible, including but not limited to:
· Publications and printed materials
· Films and television series
· Animation productions
· Radio dramas
· Online literature
· Online games
· Online audiovisual programs
All submitted works must be original and must not infringe upon any third-party intellectual property rights or other legitimate rights, including portrait rights, reputation rights, privacy rights, and name rights.
3. International Communication Activities
Including but not limited to:
① Overseas activities
Cultural exchange and promotional activities held outside China that enhance the international communication capacity and global influence of Chinese civilization and Changsha, including:
· Theater, music, and dance performances
· Academic exchanges
· Think tank dialogues
· International conferences
② Activities held in Changsha
International cultural exchange and promotional activities held in Changsha that enhance the global influence of Chinese civilization and the city, including:
· Theater, music, and dance performances
· Academic exchanges and international forums
· Cultural experiences and promotional activities featuring Chinese culture
③ Radio and television cooperation
Including:
· Providing programs and content to overseas mainstream media and new media platforms
· Joint production and co-creation projects
④ Film, television, and publishing copyright cooperation
Including:
· Overseas distribution of channels, programs, and content
· Copyright exports
· Format exports
4. International Communication Figures
(Individuals / Teams)
Individuals or teams that have made outstanding contributions to Changsha’s international communication efforts, established a positive global image of Changsha, and helped promote the city internationally.
Evaluation Process and Criteria
The selection process will include qualification review and expert evaluation.
Entries will be assessed based on four dimensions:
· Guidance and Value Orientation (30%)
· International Communication Reach and Influence (30%)
· Innovation and Professionalism (25%)
· Changsha Characteristics of the Azalea Award (15%)
To ensure the authority and professionalism of the award, the Azalea Award has established a professional evaluation committee featuring experts from three fields: international organizations, academia, and industry, jointly creating Changsha’s highest-level honor for international communication.
The inaugural Azalea Award covers multiple fields, including international news works, communication products, distinctive activities, and outstanding figures, providing comprehensive recognition across the entire international communication ecosystem.
In terms of evaluation standards, the award emphasizes ideological value, artistic quality, and communication effectiveness, recognizing not only professional excellence but also international acceptance and influence.
Through global outreach and innovative promotion methods, the award aims to attract more participants from around the world, making the Azalea Award an important platform for global audiences to discover Changsha.
Through systematic development, the award will become not only a prestigious honor recognizing excellence, but also a platform for gathering communication resources, exchanging global communication experiences, and fostering high-quality international communication projects — injecting continuous vitality into Changsha’s international communication efforts.
Notably, the Azalea Award has invited Chao Xiong (熊超), a Cannes Lions Gold Award winner and visual effects director of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics, to serve as the award’s visual director.
He will create a dedicated brand visual identity (VI) system based on the core concept of “Connection · Blossoming · Coexistence.”
The system includes logo design, trophy design, and extended visual materials, becoming a design example that integrates Eastern aesthetics with global visual expression.
In 1985, the azalea was officially designated as the city flower of Changsha. Representing openness, inclusiveness, progress, and dedication to humanity, the flower has become a vibrant symbol of Changsha’s charm and spirit.
In 2026, the Azalea Award will serve as a new international communication brand symbol for Changsha. Amid the continued development of the Belt and Road Initiative, it will connect Changsha’s cultural heritage with global civilizations, helping build Changsha into a new cultural communication hub with worldwide influence.
The global submission channel for the first Changsha International Communication “Azalea Award” is now officially open.
Creators, communicators, and organizations worldwide are warmly invited to participate — using cameras to capture Changsha’s beauty, words to convey the city’s warmth, and creativity to build bridges between cultures.
Together, let the world hear the voice of Changsha, discover its charm, and write a new chapter of shared beauty between Changsha and the world.
