The Democracy Video Challenge was launched for the first year online and at the United Nations on the International Day of Democracy, September 15, 2008. During the 2009 winner’s trip to the United States, the second cycle of the Democracy Video Challenge was launched at the United Nations and by the Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Judith McHale, on NBC’s Today Show with the six winners. The 2010 competition brought in more than 700 entries from 89 countries.

The eighteen finalists were selected by an independent jury chaired by Hernando de Soto, President of the Institute for Liberty. The 2010 winners were selected by the online voting public and are from Colombia, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Nepal and Spain. Their prize was a 14-day visit to the U.S. with stops in Washington, DC, New York City; and Los Angeles that will include special screenings of winning videos in these three cities, exposure to U.S. TV and film industry professionals, and meetings with democracy advocates from government, media and civil society.

The Democracy Video Challenge partners and participating organizations include the Center for International Private Enterprise, the International Republican Institute, the International Youth Foundation, the Motion Picture Association of America, NBC-Universal, the National Democratic Institute, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, the Recording Industry Association of America, TakingITGlobal, University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, the U.S. Department of State, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment and YouTube.