A new contest sponsored by the What’s Your Issue Foundation, along with a star-studded panel of judges, is accepting 3-minute videos addressing one of eight key priorities: education, environment, economic recession, health and healthcare, pathway from poverty, national security and defense, public service, human and equal rights and technology.

From the contest Web site:

We are seeking your innovative solutions to issues. We think that 14 to 24 year olds can offer a fresh, innovative approach to problem-solving. Specifically, we are looking for workable project ideas that can be locally launched that would tangibly tackle a problem. An example might be program or project in a city or town to deal with surplus cellphones, or with under-employed youth, or that would deal with national security or human rights.

Winning videos will be presented to senior officials in the Obama administration, broadcast on screens in Best Buy stores across the planet, posted on our iTunes tile and YouTube playlist. The foundation will also fly U.S.-based Jury winners to Los Angeles for our awards ceremony co-hosted by Sony Pictures.

The deadline for submissions is April 12.

Already some entries from the Rocky Mountain are available for viewing on the foundation’s YouTube channel. Thus far, most are earnest and heartfelt, some weird and others well … they’re pretty disturbing.

Colorado
Give a Hoot – on biking as environmentally friendly transportation
Save a Life – on opposing abortion
Thumbs Down to Pity – on film portrayals of the disabled

Utah
Innocence Lost – on preventing childhood sexual abuse
Think Twice – on obesity and food choices
Think. Believe. Act. – on ignorance and totalitarianism set in a bologna factory

To date, no entries could be found from Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Wyoming. C’mon, Westerners, we’re counting on you!

h/t Peter Levine

The Democracy Challenge is offering its annual video contest to shoot a 3-minute clip defining the phrase “Democracy is …” The program is sponsored by the U.S. government, YouTube and a coalition of entertainment trade groups, universities and non-profit political advocacy groups.

YOUR VOICE. YOUR VIDEO.

THE CHALLENGE

Create a video short that completes the phrase “Democracy is…”

THE PRIZE

- An all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., New York and Hollywood.
- Gala screenings of the winning videos in Hollywood, New York and Washington
- Exposure to filmmakers and the U.S. film and television industry.
- Meetings with democracy advocates from government, media and civil society.

THE TIMELINE

- SUBMISSION DEADLINE – MIDNIGHT GMT JANUARY 31, 2010.
- Challenge semifinalists will be selected on or about March 31, 2010.
- An independent jury will narrow down the semifinalists to 21 finalists on or about May 15, 2010.
- The general public will vote online for the winning videos May 15 June 15, 2010.
- Seven winners one each from the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Middle East/North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South & Central Asia, East Asia/Pacific and one anonymous winner will be announced in mid-June 2010.
- The six publicly identified winners, one from each of the six geographic regions, will travel to the United States to claim their prize in the fall of 2010.

THE DETAILS

- You must be 18 or older to enter.
- Videos can be any style: fiction or documentary, animated or live action.
- Videos must be no longer than three minutes.
- Videos must be in English or have English subtitles.
- Contestants may enter anonymously, but anonymous winners cannot collect the grand prize.
- See contest site for a complete list of rules, www.videochallenge.america.gov

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View The 2009 Democracy Video Challenge Winners and Their Winning Videos