The Democracy Photo Challenge is a contest that invites people to complete the phrase "Democracy is..." through digital photos submitted online. Google’s Picasa Web Albums created the online platform for the contest, a first for the photo sharing website.[1] In 2010, nearly 3,000 people from 131 countries entered the contest online.[2]
The Photo Challenge is a spinoff of the Democracy Video Challenge, an annual contest in which contestants complete the phrase “Democracy is…” through short online videos.[3]
Submissions for the 2010 contest were accepted online from July 7 to July 28, 2010. An independent jury narrowed the submissions to 36 finalists representing each region of the world.[4] The online public then voted for their favorites.[5] In total, more than half a million people took part in the voting.
The 12 winners were announced on September 15, 2010 during International Day of Democracy.[6] The winning photographs were displayed at the United Nations.[7]
The 2010 jury was co-chaired by documentary photographer Phil Borges, International Center of Photography director Willis Hartshorn and Academy Award-winning director Louie Psihoyos.[8]
| Name | Country/Region | |
|---|---|---|
| Kaveh Baghdadchi | Iran / Near East | |
| Ian M. Cunningham | United States / Western Hemisphere | |
| Wladia Drummond | Brazil / Western Hemisphere | |
| Kaylene George | South Africa / Africa | |
| Venkatesh Hamyanaik | Australia / East Asia and Pacific | |
| Samir Atabey | Azerbaijan / Europe | |
| Jun Krishna Joshi | Nepal / South and Central Asia | |
| Mohamed Kaouche | Algeria / Near East | |
| Mustafa Kia | Afghanistan / South and Central Asia | |
| Mikas Matsuzawa | Philippines / East Asia and Pacific | |
| Mike Mitchell | Benin / Africa | |
| Dino Peri | Bosnia and Herzegovina / Europe |