Change Your Climate, Change Our World Video Contest - from the Department of State’s second annual ExchangesConnect Video Contest

Small changes in your local community can make a big difference in our world.

Your “climate” is not only the air you breathe but also the people, places, and relationships that affect your daily life.

Tell us in a video no longer than 2 minutes what you or someone you know is doing to make your community a better place, and in the process contributing to a healthier, safer, cleaner, and more peaceful world for all of us and you could win an all-expense-paid international exchange program!

Rules

* The contest opens on November 17, 2009 and closes on January 12, 2010.
* The contest is open to individuals from all countries and territories worldwide.
* Contestants must be registered members of ExchangesConnect and 14 years or older at the time of submission.
* Four (4) Grand-Prize Winners will be eligible to receive an all-expense-paid international exchange program.
* Videos will be rated by the ExchangesConnect community and also by an esteemed panel of judges.
* All video content must be original and non-copyrighted.

Details:
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton launched the Department of State’s second annual ExchangesConnect Video Contest, “Change Your Climate, Change Our World,” with a video message on the ExchangesConnect social network at http://connect.state.gov.

The contest is a call to action for global citizens around the world to engage in cross-cultural community building and mutual understanding. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the U.S. Department of State launched ExchangesConnect social network in October 2008 and it has attracted over 14,000 members.

People all over the world, ages 14 and older, are invited to submit their 2-minute videos to ExchangesConnect at http://connectcontest.state.gov. Two international and two American winners (one in each of the two age categories: 14-17 and 18 and older) will receive one of four Grand Prizes: an all-expense-paid two-week international exchange program. Last year’s contest drew over 8,400 new ExchangesConnect members from 170 countries!

Video submissions will be accepted November 17, 2009 through January 12, 2010. The ExchangesConnect community will vote on video entries and an expert panel of judges, all ECA exchange program alumni, will rank the “top 40” videos based on originality, creativity, effectiveness and production quality. The panel of judges includes:

• Jay Craven – Independent Filmmaker (U.S. Cultural Envoy and AFI 20/20 Global Cultural Exchange Program alumnus);

• Vassilios Karamitsanis – President, Platforma International Film Festival and Urban Cultural Company (International Visitor Leadership Program alumnus);

• Josef Frank Madisia - Director, National Art Gallery, Namibia (International Visitor Leadership Program alumnus);

• Rodolfo Molina – Coordinator, El Salvador’s Biennials of Visual Arts events (Fulbright Student Program alumnus); and,

• Hind Shoufani – Writer and Filmmaker (Fulbright alumnus).

The School of Cinema and Performing Arts (SOCAPA), one of the premier visual and performing arts programs for young people, joins the Department in support of the contest in providing the young international winner a two-week summer camp experience.

Please visit http://connectcontest.state.gov