Call for EOIs: Palestinian Students’ Film Initiative to Promote Gender Equality and Human Rights

Deadline: 03-Mar-2026

The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation invites Palestinian organizations to submit expressions of interest for a service contract to organize a Palestinian Students’ Film Festival. The festival focuses on gender equality and human rights advocacy, featuring international films, workshops, masterclasses, a touring cinema initiative, and exchange activities with global experts. Eligible organizations may receive up to €65,750 to implement this impactful initiative.

Overview

The Palestinian Students’ Film Festival is a program funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation, designed to:

• Promote gender equality and human rights advocacy

• Engage public and private stakeholders in dialogue

• Showcase international films with student participation

• Conduct workshops, masterclasses, and exchange programs

• Organize a touring cinema initiative across additional public venues

The festival emphasizes skills development, knowledge sharing, and advocacy impact, strengthening media engagement and dialogue around critical social issues.

Objectives and Focus Areas

The program focuses on:

• Advocacy for Gender Equality and Human Rights: Using film as a medium to educate, inspire, and create dialogue.

• Student Engagement: Workshops, masterclasses, and exchange programs with international film and media experts.

• Touring Cinema Initiative: Screening selected films in at least four additional public venues, preferably universities, to increase outreach.

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Tracking advocacy impact through media responses (comments, shares, articles) disaggregated by age and gender, aiming for 70% positive engagement.

Festival Structure

The festival will include:

• Film Competitions across five categories:

  1. Short Fiction

  2. Short Documentary

  3. Experimental Film and Video Art

  4. Palestinian Film for Human Rights

• Workshops and Masterclasses for participating students

• Exchange Activities between Palestinian students and international film/media experts

• Touring Screenings at universities or other public venues to maximize student reach

The festival will be hosted at a Palestinian educational institution, serving as the main venue for the program.

Who Is Eligible?

Eligible applicants include:

• Non-profit organizations, NGOs, and civil society organizations registered in Palestine

• Organizations that have worked in a related field in Palestine within the last five years

• Groups capable of implementing activities focused on advocacy, film, media, and youth engagement

Ineligible applicants:

• Organizations not registered in Palestine

• Entities without prior experience in relevant sectors

• For-profit companies

Funding Details

• Indicative budget: Up to €65,750

• Purpose: Organize the festival, workshops, masterclasses, touring screenings, and monitoring/evaluation activities

• Funding coverage: Covers all planned festival and advocacy activities under the scope of the service contract

How to Apply / What to Do

1. Confirm Eligibility: Ensure your organization is registered in Palestine and has relevant experience in advocacy, film, or youth initiatives.

2. Prepare Expression of Interest (EOI): Include:

   • Organizational profile and relevant experience

   • Technical approach for implementing the festival and associated activities

   • Timeline and workplan for workshops, masterclasses, and touring cinema initiative

   • Monitoring and evaluation framework for advocacy impact

3. Submit EOI: Follow submission guidelines as specified by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

4. Evaluation: EOIs will be assessed based on experience, technical quality, feasibility, and potential advocacy impact.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The program emphasizes the measurement of advocacy outcomes:

• Track media engagement (comments, shares, articles)

• Disaggregate responses by age and gender

• Target 70% positive interactions reflecting successful gender equality and human rights advocacy

• Report findings to the funding agency to guide future activities

Tips for a Strong Application

• Demonstrate experience in film, media, or advocacy projects

• Highlight prior work with Palestinian students or youth

• Include a clear plan for workshops, masterclasses, and touring screenings

• Outline a robust monitoring and evaluation framework

• Ensure organizational capacity and governance are clearly documented

FAQ

1. Who can apply?
Non-profit organizations, NGOs, and civil society organizations registered in Palestine with relevant experience in advocacy, film, or youth engagement.

2. What is the funding amount?
Up to €65,750.

3. What is the focus of the festival?
Gender equality and human rights advocacy, using international films and student participation.

4. How are advocacy outcomes measured?
Through media engagement tracking, disaggregated by age and gender, aiming for 70% positive responses.

5. Are for-profit organizations eligible?
No, only registered non-profits, NGOs, and civil society organizations are eligible.

6. What activities are included in the service contract?
Film screenings, workshops, masterclasses, touring cinema initiatives, exchange activities with international experts, and monitoring/evaluation.

7. Where will the festival take place?
The main festival will be hosted at a Palestinian educational institution, with additional screenings in at least four public venues, preferably universities.

Conclusion

This service contract opportunity empowers Palestinian organizations to strengthen gender equality and human rights advocacy through a student-focused film festival. By combining film, education, and youth engagement, the initiative aims to foster dialogue, skill development, and positive media impact, creating a sustainable model for advocacy across Palestine.

For more information, visit Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.