Axes
Toys
Promoting a culture of resistance and standing firm against adversity, oppression, and tyranny has been one of the most vital missions of great historical figures for their people. Throughout history, many nations and generations have suffered under exploitative powers and despots, yet through resilience and steadfastness, they eventually freed themselves from the chains of injustice and domination.
Today, we witness a growing global awareness and sensitivity toward the injustices suffered by people across the world. But awareness alone is not enough. The true responsibility that falls upon societies is to resist oppression until every form and manifestation of tyranny is eradicated worldwide.
That’s why we invite educators, game designers, and content creators to share the game-based products you have developed with these ideals in mind, so together we can ignite a powerful cultural movement rooted in resistance and human dignity.
Why Games Matter?
Games are not merely tools for amusement—they are vehicles of culture, values, and education for the next generation.
Creating toys and games themed around resistance allows children to become familiar with essential values such as:
Self-sacrifice
Loyalty
Perseverance
These games serve as powerful tools to nurture national and cultural identity in young minds, while also creating engaging spaces for dialogue and learning. Through meaningful and imaginative play, children internalize positive ideals in ways that are both natural and lasting.
If you’ve designed a toy, board game, or digital experience with such, we are waiting for you at the Hanzala Prize
What Makes an Ideal Entry?
To evaluate and select the most outstanding entries in this category, we are looking for toys that demonstrate the following characteristics:
Educational Value: Toys should convey essential concepts such as resistance, national history, and cultural heritage to children in an accessible and engaging way.
Creativity and Innovation: The design must be original and imaginative, capturing the interest of children while effectively communicating the intended themes.
Build Quality: Materials used should be of high quality, safe, and aligned with the toy’s purpose, ensuring the child’s physical safety and a reliable user experience.
Age Appropriateness: Toys must be suitable for the target age group, addressing their developmental needs in both educational and recreational dimensions.
Developmental Support: Toys should provide opportunities for children to engage with moral and cognitive lessons, enhancing their physical and mental development.
What sets exceptional products apart is not merely the presence of these features, but how harmoniously they are integrated. When these elements are strategically aligned within a product, the intended messages are conveyed effectively. Otherwise, we risk producing disconnected elements that may function individually but fail to deliver a cohesive experience.
In some cases, direct references to national and international myths, cultural practices, or traditional customs can be incorporated, particularly through dolls or action figures, which have a long-standing global presence.
On the other hand, we recognize toys that serve specific functions yet offer designers and manufacturers the flexibility to embed educational messages. When these messages are organically woven into the toy’s structure and function, their impact is significantly enhanced.
A prominent example of such integration is found in multi-functional toys. These products enable children to engage in both physical and mental exercises through a single platform. An added value lies in their ability to accommodate varied themes and narratives, allowing for the inclusion of diverse concepts based on the vision of the creator. Moreover, the quality of components is a key benchmark, especially when targeting young users.
The toy industry is filled with products capable of communicating profound values. Because they utilize the powerful medium of play—children’s natural language—such toys leave lasting impressions that can shape perspectives for years. Given the global relevance of resistance, resilience, and patriotism in recent years, it is more important than ever to seize the opportunity and contribute meaningfully through thoughtful product development.
The Hanzala Award invites all educators, designers, and toy industry professionals to participate by submitting products that resonate with these ideals. If your work embodies such values, your place is here—at the Hanzala Award.
Board and Card Games Category: Evaluation Criteria
This category seeks works that offer an engaging yet meaningful experience to teenagers through purposeful game design. The concept of resistance should not only appear on the surface but also be embedded in the game’s structure, objectives, and narrative. Transmitting cultural values through gameplay is only effective when all design aspects—mechanics, content, and educational influence—are aligned.
Merely choosing a theme related to resistance is not sufficient; we are looking for games that embody these values rather than simply refer to them.
Evaluation will focus on four core dimensions:
Educational Impact:
Does the game convey ideas such as resilience, empathy, ethical decision-making, or confronting difficult choices?
Does it help the player develop a personal connection to the concept of resistance?
Can the gaming experience shift the player’s worldview, even in a small way?
Technical Execution:
Are the rules clear, intuitive, and free of ambiguity?
Are the game mechanics well-designed and suitable for the target age group?
How high is the manufacturing quality of the cards, tokens, game board, etc.?
Is the game durable and designed for repeated use?
Visual Design:
How well does the visual style align with the game’s content?
Are colors, forms, and illustrations used professionally and appealingly for teenagers?
Is the packaging creative, attractive, and reflective of the game’s identity?
Does the game offer a distinctive visual experience, or does it fall into generic patterns?
Content Depth:
How deeply is the theme of resistance integrated into the game?
Is the core idea or narrative original and meaningful?
Is the content appropriate for a teenage audience?
How creatively and effectively does it incorporate cultural, historical, or local inspirations?
If you have a product that meets these standards, the Hanzala Award is waiting for you.
Digital and Video Games Category
At the Hanzala Festival, we seek to recognize digital and video games that meaningfully convey themes of resistance, justice, and standing against oppression in compelling ways. Evaluation will be based on four main criteria, each addressing critical aspects of design, educational impact, and visual presentation.
- Educational Impact:
Teaching Resistance Values: The game should convey messages of resilience, justice, and moral strength in an indirect yet captivating manner.
Influence on Behavior and Mindset: The game should inspire positive changes in the player’s worldview and encourage real-life activism and ethical behavior.
Moral and Ethical Lessons: It should provide insight into how to face challenges with integrity and moral clarity.
- Form and Presentation:
Graphic Design and Visual Appeal: The visual elements should be attractive and age-appropriate, ensuring strong engagement.
Genre Diversity: Games should span a range of formats—adventure, strategy, action, etc.—to cater to varied preferences across age groups.
Age Appropriateness: Games must be tailored to the cognitive and emotional levels of their intended audience—simpler for children, more nuanced for teens.
- Content:
Alignment with the Theme of Resistance: The game should clearly and understandably explore themes of sacrifice, justice, and resistance.
Comprehensibility: The storyline and language should match the audience’s comprehension level.
Moral and Social Messaging: Themes such as courage, justice, and defending the oppressed should be engagingly interwoven into gameplay.
- Visual and Experiential Design:
Imagery that Communicates Resistance: Visuals should be both aesthetically pleasing and conceptually resonant with the game’s themes.
Environmental Design: Game environments should evoke a sense of struggle and victory—darker tones in conflict scenes and lighter ones in triumphant moments.
Character Appeal: Game characters should be both engaging and in harmony with the game’s educational and thematic goals.
If you have created such a game, we are waiting for you at the Hanzala Award
