U.S. Embassy Announces Video Contest Winners “Human Rights During the Pandemic”
On December 15, 2021, teachers, high school students, and Embassy representatives, gathered online to honor the winners of the student video contest, “Human Rights During the Pandemic”.
This contest launched on June 11, 2021, to raise awareness around the issue of respecting of humas rights during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Embassy received 41 videos from 20 high schools and colleges across Romania. The videos were judged on their impactfulness in raising awareness about the centrality of human rights during the COVID-19 pandemic, on originality and creativity, and on overall video quality by a jury composed of Americans affiliated with the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.
In his opening remarks, Cultural Affairs Officer William O’Connor congratulated all participants and encouraged them to also participate in similar future competitions.
The top three prizes awarded by the U.S. Embassy were: a GoPro video camera, a digital photo camera, and a Kindle E-book reader. All finalists also received award prizes for their submissions.
The contest finalists were:
Alexandra-Ionela ION “Mihai Viteazul” National College Slobozia
Alin Gabriel LICEA “Barbu A. Stirbey” Technological School Buftea
Andra DIMITRIU “Nicolae Iorga” High School
Andreea Maria ROTARU “Zinca Golescu” National College Pitesti
Cristina Adina BADIC “Emil Botta” National College Adjud
Alexandru Dan MANTA “Ion Barbu” High School Pitesti
Andrada Cristina STANCULESCU “Alexandru Odobescu” National College Pitesti
Francesca BADOAEA “Sfantul Sava” National College
Iulia Denisa BALAN “Petru Rares” National College Beclean
Iulia Mihaela STURZU “B.P. Hasdeu” National College Buzau
Diana NECULA “B.P. Hasdeu” National College Buzau
Razvan Andrei TIMOFTE “B.P. Hasdeu” National College Buzau
Irina Cristiana DULUGEA “B.P. Hasdeu” National College Buzau
The three winning teams are:
First place:
Andra DIMITRIU
“Nicolae Iorga” High School Bucharest, Grade: X
Second place:
Iulia Mihaela STURZU
Diana NECULA
“B.P. Hasdeu” National College Buzau, Grade: XI
Third place:
Razvan Andrei TIMOFTE
Irina Cristiana DULUGEA
“B.P. Hasdeu” National College Buzau, Grade: XI
The winning teams’ video clips can also be viewed on the on the U.S. Embassy website: https://ro.usembassy.gov/pandemic
As part of the campaign to increase the respect for and awareness of human rights for all, especially by youth, as part of the recovery process after the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest invites high school students aged 16-18 to participate in a video competition on “Human Rights During the Pandemic” on June 10, 2021.
Working individually or in teams of no more than two people, Romanian high school students aged 16-18 are invited to create a video clip of no more than 2 minutes, on the above theme and submit it via WeTransfer to infobuch@state.gov no later than August 21, 2021. The video submission must be in .mp4 format and must be accompanied by 2 files, in .srt format, containing the subtitles in English and in Romanian, respectively.
Participants should include their full name, e-mail address, phone number, high school, and the name of their English teacher in their submission. Children or any other family members of the U.S. Embassy employees are not eligible to participate in the competition. Written permission from a parent or guardian must be included for anyone under the age of 18 who appears in the video.
A jury composed of American diplomats will select the top three videos. Videos will be judged on effectiveness in raising awareness about the importance of respecting everyone’s rights, especially by youth; originality and creativity; and video quality.
The U.S. Embassy will award the top prize, a GoPro video camera, during a special ceremony held in December 2021. Winners of the 2nd and 3rd places will be awarded a digital camera and an eBook reader, respectively. The three winners’ videos will be highlighted on the U.S. Embassy website and on other online platforms. All participants – students and teachers alike – will receive certificates from the U.S. Embassy to recognize their efforts.
Creating videos on “Human Rights During the Pandemic”
The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest invites high school students aged 16-18 to participate in a video contest to raise awareness about the need to recuperate after the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring Human Rights are central to recovery efforts. In addition to prizes for the best videos, winners will have their videos featured on the Embassy’s online platforms. The theme of the contest is “Human Rights During the Pandemic.” We are looking for creative, short, catchy videos that best express the theme. Winners will be selected based on the video’s effectiveness in raising awareness about the importance of standing up for everyone’s rights, originality and creativity, and video quality.
Rules and Contest Details
- Contest Theme: “Human Rights During the Pandemic”
- How to Enter:
Individuals or teams of no more than two persons produce an original video, no longer than two minutes in length, that reflects the theme of the contest, “Human Rights During the Pandemic.” Videos longer than two minutes will not be accepted. Videos must be the original work of the contestants and filmed in Romania. This contest is open to Romanian high school students residing in Romania. Once a video is submitted, it is considered a final submission and may not be modified, edited, or replaced. Participation in this contest is automatically deemed as acceptance of these Official Contest Rules. Each video submission must be an original video produced by the submitter. Only one submission per individual or team will be allowed.
- Video Submission:
Videos, in .mp4 format, must be uploaded on WeTransfer and the links to the videos must be sent to infobuch@state.gov on or before midnight of August 21, 2021. Participants will submit their name, e-mail address, phone number, grade and high school, name of their English teacher, when uploading their videos on WeTransfer. Videos must be accompanied by 2 files, in .srt format, containing the subtitles in English and in Romanian.
- Content Requirements:
Entries cannot:- Depict or otherwise identify a minor, including the film maker(s), without a parent’s or legal guardian’s written consent.
- Contain sexually explicit or suggestive material, or inappropriate language relating ethnicity, race, gender, religious preference, professional background, age group or disability;
- Promote or contain the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, weapons, or any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous;
- Promote any particular political agenda, message, or party;
- Defame, misrepresent, or contain disparaging remarks about other people, companies, or organizations;
- Contain any prominent use of trademarks, logos, or trade dress (such as distinctive packaging or building exteriors/interiors) owned by others as determined by the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, or advertise or promote any brand or product of any kind, or contain any personal identification, such as license plate numbers, personal names, e-mail addresses or street addresses;
- Contain prominent copyrighted materials owned by others (including photographs, sculptures, paintings and other works of art or images published on or in websites, television, movies or other media) as determined by the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest;
- Contain materials embodying the names, likenesses, photographs, or other information identifying any person, living or dead without permission;
- Communicate messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill to which the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest wishes to associate;
- Depict and cannot itself be in violation of any law or otherwise;
- Eligibility:
- Contestants must be high school students in Romania aged 16-18 working in teams of no more than two persons.
- Videos will be accepted from June 10, 2021, until at 23:59 on August 21, 2021. The team submitting the video will be considered the contestant and will be the only team eligible to compete for the prizes.
- Children or any family members of U.S. Embassy employees are not be eligible to participate in this competition.
- Selection of Winners and Judging Criteria:
- A jury composed of American diplomats will select the top three videos. Videos will be judged on effectiveness in raising awareness about the importance of respecting everyone’s rights, especially by youth; originality and creativity; and video quality.
- Terms & Rights:
By entering the contest, you represent and agree that:- You have produced and submitted the video. You have received permission from any person(s) depicted in the Video (“Third Party Participant”) (if applicable) for them to appear in the video and that all elements of your entry are your original work, are not copied from any other work, and do not infringe upon the rights of any third party and to the extent any elements were created by a third party (“Third Party Participant”), you own all rights, titles and interests to said elements which is part of your Entry to enable you to grant the rights granted herein. If you appear in the video, you have submitted signed permission from your parents for your participation. If a Third Party Participant is a minor, you have secured written permission from that minor’s parent or legal guardian. You retain ownership of the Entry you submit, however, by entering you, on behalf of yourself and any Third Party Participants, grant the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest the perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to publish, reproduce, prepare derivative works of, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, televise, digitize, otherwise use, and permit others to use and perform throughout the world the video and Entry in any manner, form, or format now or hereinafter created, including on the Internet, and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising or promotion of Contest Entities and Contest all without further consent from or payment to you, including those Entry(ies) which were not selected. By submitting your Entry, you agree that the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest has no obligation to post or publish your Entry, that all such postings or publication, if any, will be in the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest’s sole discretion and that the posting or publication of an Entry does not guarantee the Entry will be selected as a winner.
- By submitting an Entry, each entrant understands and grants to the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest permission for his/her Entry to be posted on the Embassy’s online platforms (e.g. Facebook, YouTube), and web pages in perpetuity throughout the world for viewing by visitors to the Websites. The U.S. Embassy, Bucharest is not responsible for any unauthorized third party use of any Entry. Entries will not be acknowledged and will not be received or held “in confidence” and a submission does not create a confidential relationship or obligation of secrecy between you and the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest or any of its affiliates.
- Each Entry must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. If the Entry contains any material or elements that are not owned by the entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of Third Parties, the entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the Entry, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the Entry by the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest in the manner set forth in these Official Rules. The U.S. Embassy, Bucharest reserves the right to request proof of these permissions in a form acceptable to them from any entrant at any time. By submitting an Entry, entrant warrants and represents that he/she consents to the submission and use of the Entry in the Contest, and to its posting on the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest or other USG web pages.
- The U.S. Embassy, Bucharest reserves the right to disqualify any Entry for any reason, in its sole and absolute discretion. The U.S. Embassy, Bucharest is under no obligation to disclose why an Entry has been disqualified other than the Entry was ineligible under these Official Rules. Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy, Bucharest reserves the right to not award any prize if, in its sole and absolute discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries in the entry period.
