Rounding off a big year for TikTok's creative community, the world's leading short-form video platform has revealed the nation's most memorable moments of 2019. Growing quickly and steadily in the Middle East and worldwide, TikTok has attracted an immense and active base of creators producing creative videos, across music, fashion, sports, education and more. Challenges, a TikTok feature that inspires users to respond creatively and share content, were a big hit in the MENA region in 2019, generating a whopping 4.7 billion views across the region. Driving a feeling of community on the platform, TikTok challenges are entertaining but can also drive awareness around positive social initiatives, helping users find common ground while expressing their differences. A look back at 2019: Under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, TikTok partnered with the Arab Hope Makers initiative, launching the #صناع_الأمل (Hope Makers) challenge which invited users to create a short film of themselves doing good deeds. Quickly becoming the most engaging social initiative challenge, this challenge generated 35 million views. Rising to the top effects-based challenge spot of 2019, was the #greenscreen challenge allowing users to insert background images or videos into their short films to show off their creative storytelling skills, and generating 190 million views. The #choices challenge galvanized 99 million views as content creators used memes to answer a series of questions about themselves, cleverly syncing their answers to music tracks. The most engaging dance-based challenge was the #big_fun challenge, generating 41 million views and seeing users bring a short musical play to life with a fun script and dance routine. The most popular game-based challenge was the #تحدي_وصراحة (Truth or Dare) challenge, generating 44 million views as users spent time playing the classic game, choosing to answer questions or take on dares. Looking ahead to 2020: Launching in collaboration with Emaar on 25th December, the last challenge of the year: #2020MakeAWish will inspire users to wish loved ones well for the new year. Backed by a new song created exclusively for the challenge, #2020MakeAWish is an interactive and memorable way to celebrate the dawn of a new decade. Commenting on TikTok's mission to empower creative expression, Rami Zeidan, Head of Video and Creative Content at TikTok, said, "2019 has been a huge year for our creative community in the MENA region who continue to raise the bar with diverse and compelling content. We're proud to have provided an outlet for artistic expression for so many people. #2020MakeAWish is the perfect platform to propel us into the new year and as we set our sights on 2020, we look forward to shining a spotlight on the region's best talent." Closing out the year in style: Building on a long-term partnership with Emaar, TikTok will be wowing crowds with an extended, creative showcase lighting up Emaar's iconic Burj Khalifa in the heart of downtown Dubai on New Year's Eve. The unmissable spectacle, which will take advantage of the latest LED technology promises to captivate audiences' attention. TikTok will also be recognizing and honoring the region's top creators with its inaugural ‘TikTok Hero Awards', which will be revealed on New Year's Eve. — SG
