U.S. Embassy Announces Democracy on Film Contest

September 19, 2008

The U.S. Embassy invites filmmakers in Lebanon to participate in the Democracy Video Challenge.  This worldwide competition affords professionals, amateurs and ordinary citizens a chance to create a short video completing the phrase, “Democracy is …,” to post on YouTube. 

The winners will participate in screenings of their videos in Hollywood, New York, and Washington, D.C., hosted by the Directors Guild of America and the Motion Picture Association of America. 

The Democracy Video Challenge launched September 15 during International Democracy Day at the United Nations. The Challenge is a new effort supported by a unique partnership comprised of democracy and youth organizations, the film and entertainment industry, academia, and the U.S. government.

The Challenge will honor seven winning videos: one each from Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Near East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere, and one anonymous video. The winning videos will be selected by global online voting. The video platform is being provided by YouTube (www.youtube.com/democracychallenge).

“The Challenge breaks fresh ground for the use of new media in public diplomacy. We in the State Department and our partners are not trying to define democracy for young people around the world. Rather, the Challenge asks participants to share their visions of what democracy means. If the Challenge can generate thought and debate about democracy, on the medium of choice for young people, we’ll have achieved success,” Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs James K. Glassman said.

For complete details, visit the following link.