The video raises awareness and calls for policy change around foreign assistance issues.  According to their website, "The U.S. Foreign Assistance Act -- a cornerstone of America’s support for global development -- is so badly out of date and needs the next American president to help bring it into the 21st century." The video asks: “How can foreign assistance policy written in 1961 address the issues of today?"

Though the event was centered around the video, it also sparked discussion on networking, internet tools to promote awareness, and thoughts on effective ways to change policy and increase involvement.  The discussed focused on how short videos that can also be viewed on YouTube be used to create interest and inform people about a specific issue.

The general concern was that in making videos that are very attractive and really get people interested, substance might be sacrificed. On the other hand, when a very long video is formulated, people might not be as interested. Several suggestions were made about when each type of video or media should be used. Preferably a balance between the two options is the most effective.  The video should be one to two minutes in length ideally.

I thought the event was very interesting. Not only did I get to listen to lively discussions by well-established writers and policy advocates, but I also gained a greater sense of how to utilize various tools to create awareness and action around specific issues. 

Check out the video below and tell us what you think by commenting below.