Democracy Video Challenge


The Democracy Video Challenge is an annual film contest featuring films under three minutes in length that complete the phrase "Democracy is…" It is part of a broader initiative called "Democracy is…" that seeks to use creative mediums to start a global discussion about the meaning of democracy. The contests use social media to foster that dialogue among people around the world.
The 2009 Video Challenge was first announced on September 15, 2008, International Day of Democracy. Richard Engel, NBC News chief foreign correspondent served as master of ceremonies for both the 2009 and 2010 contest launches. Since its launch, more than 1,600 people from 111 countries have entered the contest, while nearly 3.5 million people have been engaged online.

Process

Each year the Challenge honors one winner from each of six regions: Sub-Saharan Africa, East Asia and the Pacific, Europe, the Near East and North Africa, South and Central Asia, and the Western Hemisphere.
A jury selects 18 finalists – three videos from each of the six geographic regions. The winners are then selected during a global online vote on YouTube. The six winning filmmakers receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., Hollywood and New York City to meet with professionals from entertainment, government, media and civil society.

Jury

Years jurors participated are in parentheses. Jury co-chairs are noted with an asterisk.
NameFilmCountry/Region
Tsering ChodenDemocracy is…A Movement of the PeopleNepal / South and Central Asia
Rodin HamidiThe PathUnited Arab Emirates / Near East and North Africa
Anna IsraelIn a Democracy, We are all Parts of the Same BodyBrazil / Western Hemisphere
Aissa PeñafielLong Live the Fearless ManPhilippines / East Asia and Pacific
Lukasz SzozdaDemocracy is…AnimationPoland / Europe
Chansa TemboDemocracy is like a smoothieZambia / Sub-Saharan Africa

2010 Winners

NameFilmCountry/Region
AdhyatmikaDemocracy is yet to learn.Indonesia / East Asia and the Pacific
Farbod KhoshtinatATTN: Mr. DemocratIran / Near East and North Africa
Joel MarsdenWorld Vote NowSpain / Europe
Juan Pablo Patiño Arévalo"Democracy is... the right of life".Colombia / Western Hemisphere
Anup PoudelDemocracy is BlackNepal / South and Central Asia
Yared ShumeteDemocracy is fair playEthiopia / Sub-Saharan Africa

Spinoffs

In January 2010 a Democracy is… Twitter contest was conducted. The contest received 1,400 entries with the winner determined by the entry with the greatest number of re-tweets. The winner received a Flip HD video camera.
On July 1, 2010 the first Democracy Photo Challenge was announced. Like the other challenges, participants will be asked to submit photos that complete the phrase "Democracy is…" The contest entry period is slated to run July 7–28, 2010. The winners announced on the United Nations’ International Day of Democracy, September 15, 2010. The winning photographs exhibited at the UN headquarters in New York.
Democracy Photo Challenge jury co-chairs include:
Additional partners in the Democracy Photo Challenge include: