U.C. Davis Student, John Cooney Wins International Flash Movie Contest

Washington DC - John Cooney, a student at University of California – Davis, has won the first ever Citizens for Global Solution’s National Flash contest. In beating out the final ten competitors Cooney received 1,409 of a total 8,784 number of points, meaning that his movie will become Citizens for Global Solutions promotional clip for 2005 and that he will receive a $1,000 cash prize.

“I was thrilled and shocked all at the same time when I received a call from Citizens from Global Solutions, announcing that I won the contest,” remarked Cooney. “Citizens for Global Solutions should expect another entry from me next year. This contest is too good to pass up. "

Cooney’s entry, which focused on the threats of global warming and the need for greater environmental standards, was done with an imaginative craftiness that belied his age. In tracing the ordeals of a penguin, who with the help of a little black stripe lobbies for Kyoto to save his Antarctic home, Cooney underscored the idea that ambition and courage can change politics and the world. Both educational and inspirational, Cooney’s work is the ideal clip to represent the vision and mission of Citizens for Global Solutions. In addition, Cooney’s movie has been gathering national attention, as it has been picked up by Media Rights for their annual movie contest.

Citizens for Global Solutions launched its national Flash contest with the aim of bringing complex international issues to the youth of today, encouraging them to use their own media and voice to communicate on these topics of concern. The competition asked entrants to present a global problem and illustrate a global solution in the form of a short Flash movie.

Response to the contest was overwhelming; Citizens for Global Solutions received over 3,000 registrations and entries from all over the world. It was the first of its kind held by Citizens for Global Solutions, a grassroots membership organization based in Washington, DC. The organization was seeking a new medium through which to engage the minds of youth in the U.S. and bring creativity to a normally traditional competition requiring essay entries.

Val Schrock, Citizens for Global Solutions E-Advocacy Program manager and contest creator said, “The contest was been a great success, with entries coming in from all over the world on a whole number of international issues ranging from global warming to globalization issues.

“We are constantly hearing in the media that today’s youth are apathetic about international issues. This perception is wrong and the Flash competition has really proved this. There are a lot of young people out there awake, paying attention, and willing to engage if given the opportunity to use their voice in their style.”

John Cooney's movie can be seen by clicking on the following link
Flash_Contest/John_Cooney.html">+ See Flash

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Contact:

Sam Stein
Communications Associate
202 546 3950 ext 123