For its return after a blank year, the event, which will take place online from Friday to Sunday, aims to collect as many donations as possible to fight against poverty.
Step back to jump better. After a one-year break, ZEvent, the benchmark for French charity marathons on Twitch, is making a comeback this year. The event, which will be held from Friday to Sunday, is opting for a new format this time: fewer participants will be present in Montpellier (Hérault), in a location that has not yet been announced, but 100 streamers from all walks of life invited to participate online.
Created by streamer Adrien Nougaret and his right-hand man Alexandre Dachary – known as Zerator and Dach – in 2016, the event has since (almost) every year brought together streamers and influencers to raise millions of euros between happenings, challenges and video games. The money donated by spectators is then donated to associations around a new cause at each edition. Perpetually breaking its previous donation record, the event raised 10 million euros for environmental NGOs in 2022. This year, streamers are meeting for three days to try to do even better to fight against poverty.
Thursday September 5: opening concert
Before the serious stuff begins, ZEvent will open the festivities with music, at the Zénith in Montpellier, with its now traditional opening concert: 6,000 spectators will attend the evening hosted – and performed – by video artists PV Nova and Little Big Whale.
They will be accompanied by Mosimann, a DJ and winner of the Star Academy (who became a composer for Louane, Grands Corps Malade and BB Jacques), Deluxe, a group oscillating between jazz, hip-hop and pop, and Caravan Palace, which mixes electronic music and gypsy jazz.
Some of the streamers on site
This is where ZEvent 2024 is changing compared to its last editions: there will be fewer streamers sharing the long tables of previous editions. There will be a total of 36 videographers, streamers and other web personalities cohabiting from Friday to Sunday this year. Each will broadcast their content on Twitch.
Some regulars will be making their return, like the famous Monday Team (which meets on Twitch to play… on Mondays): Antoine Daniel, Angle Droit, Baghera Jones, Etoiles, Horty, Joueur du Grenier, Mynthos, and MisterMV. We will also find Domingo, the streamer and host of the show “Popcorn”, Kameto, the boss of the most popular e-sports team in France, Karmine Corp, or Samuel Etienne, journalist, presenter of the show Question for a Champion et streamer in his spare time.
Remote streamers, a list that gets people talking
Even more importantly, the 2024 edition of ZEvent has launched a call for applications from the community streaming French-speaking. The hundred most-watched content creators thus obtained their ticket to participate (virtually) in this edition, and collect donations from home. A concept that should even be pushed further: “Next year, we hope to open (ZEvent) to everyone without limits”the organizers wrote.
Published on Twitter on August 24, this list quickly caused confusion among some Internet users. “Fighting harassment during charity events requires planning in advance, and that means not involving problematic people.”notably hit out at the X account of the #NousToutes movement. Nat’ali, organizer of the feminist charity marathon Furax, deplored a lack of «background check» (background check) of selected individuals.
Several Internet users have notably denounced the presence of the streamer LaSainte (formerly named «LaChofaSympa»), screenshots of publications deemed racist or inciting suicide in support. Zoltan, a videographer also selected, is accused of harassment by another content creator, or by several Internet users of holding fake competitions for his subscribers.
Zerator defended himself against these criticisms, speaking to AFP. Assuring “not to minimize at all what people may have said”pleads for a “right to redemption”, and claims that “It’s very difficult to judge, to set a limit.” The YouTuber also says he has “gives up the idea of pleasing everyone”.
Selected associations against precariousness
Each year, ZEvent chooses a new theme to highlight. After ecology and animal rights in 2022, the associations selected for this edition revolve around the theme of precariousness. To help as many people as possible, Zerator has this time opted for five different organizations. Secours populaire, Cop1 (association helping students), The Heart Offices (for homeless people), Solidarité Paysans (a rural solidarity movement) and Chapitre 2 (an organization that supports young people in vulnerable situations) will share the money raised over the weekend.
