The Economist launches film and essay competitions

LONDON, May 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Economist is engaging young readers in its Open Future initiative with the launch of film and essay competitions. Open Future is an editorial initiative to remake the case for the newspapers' founding principles of individual freedom and free trade, which are being challenged in today's political climate of populism and growing authoritarianism.

"These programs are aimed at engaging young people to think critically about the world around them," said Kenneth Cukier, a senior editor leading Open Future. "It's through debate, discussion and hearing alternative views that society moves forward. We want to provide a platform for the next generation of thinkers to develop ideas and share them in a community -- not just through the written word but with video too."

Open Future Films Contest
The Economist's Films unit is launching a global video contest called, "A Minute to Change the World." Participants are invited to submit an idea in video format that will answer the question: "What is the one thing you would change to build a more open world—and how would you go about it?"

Entries can be as simple as a filmed monologue or as complex as a 3D animation. The winner will be chosen by a group of Economist judges. 

The contest is aimed at people aged 16 to 35. The deadline for submissions is August 1st 2018. A selection of entries will be published on The Economist's Open Future site and the winning entrant will be invited to participate in the Open Future Festival on September 15th in New York, London or Hong Kong, with air travel and hotel paid for by The Economist.

Details on the contest and how to enter is at: www.economist.com/openfuture/video-contest

Open Future Essay Contest
The Economist is running five essay competitions, one for each of the five Open Future themes: immigration, free speech, free markets, diversity and technology. The specific essay questions are available online.

The contest is open to people aged 16 to 25. Essays must be fewer than 1,500 words, taking a stance and making a case based on argument and facts. Though eloquence is appreciated, judges will make allowances for non-native English speakers.

The winner in each category will have their essay published on The Economist's Open Future site and will be invited to participate in the Open Future Festival on September 15th in New York, London or Hong Kong, with air travel and hotel paid for by The Economist.

Details on the contest and how to enter is at: www.economist.com/openfuture/essay-contest

To find out more please contact: 
Tom Amos at [email protected] or 212 541 0583 or Lauren Hackett at [email protected] or 212 554 0639

About the Open Future initiative
The Economist's Open Future initiative aims to remake the case for the values of classical liberalism on which the newspaper was founded: a belief in human progress, distrust of powerful interests, respect for individual freedom and free trade. It involves our critics as well as supporters, and aims to engage a young audience in particular. It includes our own articles, guest contributions, online debates, data visualisations, films, podcasts and social-media activities, as well as film and essay competitions. It also includes live events, notably the Open Future Festival, held simultaneously in Hong Kong, London and New York on Saturday September 15th. More information is at economist.com/openfuture

About The Economist (www.economist.com)

With a growing global audience and a reputation for insightful analysis and perspective on every aspect of world events, The Economist is one of the most widely recognised and well-read current affairs publications in the world. In addition to the weekly print and digital editions and website, The Economist publishes Espresso, a daily news app, Global Business Review, a bilingual English-Chinese product and a Economist VR, a virtual-reality app. Economist Radio produces several podcasts a week, and Economist Films produces short- and long-form video. The Economist maintains robust social communities on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, LINE, Medium and other social networks. A recipient of many editorial and marketing awards, The Economist was recently named the most trusted news source in the 2017 Trusting News Project Report. 

SOURCE The Economist

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