25@25 Contest Extends Deadline until January 15, 2010

“What’s your vision for Canada’s future with Asia?”

Upload your video – anything from a visual collage, animated short, mini-documentary, or even a cameraphone capture – and WIN!

Engage with a dynamic community of innovators and tell us what you think matters most for Canada’s future with Asia.

Create a video short that describes an issue, challenge, or opportunity you feel Canadians should be thinking about in our relations with Asia. Is it family values? Freedom of speech? Fusion cuisine?

Share your vision, and help ignite an exciting new Canada-Asia dialogue!

If you’re between the ages of 18-35, we want to hear from you. Upload your video – anything from a mini-documentary, animated short, visual collage, or even a cameraphone capture – be as creative as you like! We’re looking for forward-thinking entries between 30 sec. – 3 min. in length, with the main idea articulated as a theme or short phrase. Enter now, and put our money where your mouth is!

More information and the text of the news release announcing the contest deadline extension after the jump…

Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s 25@25 Contest Extends Deadline until January 15, 2010

For Immediate Release

December 15, 2009

VANCOUVER, BC –– The Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s youth-oriented 25@25 video contest has extended its deadline by two weeks, and will now accept submissions until January 15, 2010.

An innovative and interactive video contest that celebrates APF Canada’s 25th anniversary, “25@25: Canada’s Future with Asia”, asks young Canadians (18-35) to help identify 25 issues that will be important for the future of Canada-Asia relations. Submissions ranging from rant-to-camera, photo montages, mini-documentaries, and digital stories, are invited. Entries can be uploaded at WWW.25AT25.CA

“We’re eager to gain insight, especially from Canada’s youth, about how what goes on in the Asia Pacific is interconnected with Canada and the lives of Canadians. And that’s at the root of why we’re running the 25@25 contest, to help ignite a new dialogue that envisions Canada’s future with Asia,” says Hanna Cho, Project Manager for the 25@25 contest.

By encouraging participants to articulate their ideas using audio-visual means, the contest hopes to stimulate a dialogue about Canada-Asia relations that is as creative as the entries provided. It also gives young Canadians a unique opportunity to share their ideas and experiences with like-minded peers and thinkers, beyond the classroom and printed word.

“Asia has never been more important to Canada, and Canadians know it. The goal of this contest is to bridge the gap between the current and next generation of Canadians interested in Asia,” says Yuen Pau Woo, President and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

A grand prize of $5000 will be awarded by a diverse panel of Canada-Asia innovators, and a People’s Choice award of $500 will be determined by popular vote. Judges for 25@25 are: Yuen Pau Woo, President and CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation; Mark Whitmell, HSBC Bank Canada; Hon. Jack Austin, former Senator; Nanon de Gaspé Beaubien-Mattrick, investment fund manager; Hank Bull, co-founder of contemporary Asian art gallery Centre A; Gerri Sinclair, Executive Director of the Masters of Digital Media Program, SFU; Nobu Adilman, broadcaster and filmaker; Ziya Tong, co-host and producer, Discovery Channel Canada.

A promising batch of initial entries, ranging over topics from education and migration to global finance, can be viewed and voted for at www.25at25.ca.

For more details and information about the contest, please visit www.25at25.ca or join the 25@25conversation on Twitter or stay posted through the 25@25 Facebook Fan page.

25@25 is a special project of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada with Presenting Sponsor HSBC Bank Canada and Official National Television Sponsor OMNI TV.

About APF Canada

The Asia Pacific Foundation is an independent resource for Canadians on contemporary Asia and Canada-Asia relations. As a national not-for-profit organization established by an Act of the Federal Parliament in 1984, the Foundation brings together people and knowledge to provide the most current and comprehensive research, analysis and information on Asia and on Canada’s transpacific relations. It promotes dialogue on economic, security, political and social issues, helping to inform public policy, the Canadian public and Canada’s Asia practitioners. The Foundation is funded principally through an endowment from the Government of Canada and by corporate and individual donors.

For additional information, please contact:

Jessica Brunt Media Coordinator Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada Tel: 604-630-1541 Email: jessica.brunt@asiapacific.ca

About HSBC Bank Canada

HSBC Bank Canada, a subsidiary of HSBC Holdings plc, has more than 260 offices, including over 140 bank branches, and is the leading international bank in Canada. With around 8,500 offices in 86 countries and territories and assets of US$2,422 billion at 30 June 2009, the HSBC Group is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations.

For additional information about OMNI TV, please contact:

Poonam Bains Community Liaison Officer OMNI Television Tel: 604-678-3918 Poonam.Bains@rci.rogers.com