General Information

Contact

Jonila Godole
Jozita Zhura

Institute for Democracy, Media and Culture

Bardhok Biba Street, Entrance A, Apt. 35, 11th floor
1001, Tirana, Albania
Phone: +355 4 452 1899
E-mail:

Homepage: https://www.idmc.al/
Competition: https://www.idmc.al/rubrika/pyet-gjysherit/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDMC.al
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/idmc.al
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idmc-institute-for-democracy-media-and-culture/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@idmcal

About the organisation

Institute for Democracy, Media & Culture (IDMC) is an independent, non-profit and non-governmental organisation established in Tirana in 2014. It inspires and supports projects with an interdisciplinary approach to studying, understanding and promoting the development of democratic values, the role and impact of the media and journalists in strengthening democracy, and the role of historical memory for a society that must reflect on the mistakes of the past so that they are not repeated in the future. The main partner and supporter of IDMC is Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Albania.

Fields of expertise and action: IDMC considers the media a key stakeholder in the process of democratisation. It therefore supports projects that focus on debates about the democratic and social role the journalists and the media play in this era of new technologies. Media monitoring and the analysis of the Albanian journalism is made possible through analysis of the communication process: procedures, norms that relate to transparency and accountability, the right to information etc. on the one hand, and provision of counseling, services and expertise in the fields of media development and democracy in collaboration with specialised institutions, professional operators and public agencies, on the other hand.

Media literacy: IDMC has made its contribution to the field of media literacy by training hundreds of students and teachers and offering them manuals that can be used in teaching in different classes and for different age groups. IDMC considers media literacy a key instrument for citizens to not fall prey to propaganda and misinformation; to understand their role as active and critical citizens for a more democratic Albania on the way to the EU.

Memory and culture: In IDMC's vision, culture also plays a basic role in political debates regarding the reinforcement of democracy, specifically how a culture can directly transport the memory of a people. Taking Albania as an example, where the reflection on its totalitarian past was not given adequate attention in the last 30 years, the mission of IDMC is to encourage the young generation through awareness-raising activities to reflect about the consequences of the dictatorial regime and the reasons how the past is closely connected both with the present and the future of a country.

From 2014 until today, IDMC has managed to become a central organisation that addresses issues of memory and historical memory in the public debate, focusing mainly on the young generation and its awareness of the consequences of dictatorships and totalitarian regimes.

The history competition

The first Albanian history competition by IDMC was launched in 2016 in order to meet the challenge of missing knowledge and reflection on the Communism past for the youth in Albania. Since then, IDMC has been conducting annual history competitions in Armenia, according to the competition’s motto: “Ask your grandparents, your parents, ask everyone who represents the generation who survived the Communist regime in Albania, examine their memories, be curious to learn more about your family members, a period so different to the one you live in now. Because the future can never be certain without knowing the past.”

Requirements

  • Entries may be submitted in the English or Albanian language
  • Each participant may submit only one entry
  • Each entry must clearly relate to the subject matter of the competition
  • Only original work will be accepted
  • Entries that promote ethnic, gender or sexual discrimination etc. will not be eligible
  • Winning entries will be handed over to the organiser, who has the right to exhibit them at (non-profit) events for awareness-raising purposes, locally and abroad
  • There is no participation fee

Jury

All entries will be evaluated by an independent jury composed of public figures and experts, based on the following criteria:

  • Innovative presentation
  • Object with a significant history
  • Understandability
  • Originality
  • Ability to engage the audience
  • Clear and powerful message
  • Authentic style

Award

The winners will be announced during the MEMORY DAYS and will be invited to Tirana to collect their prizes in the presence of public figues in the media, civil society, politics and culture.

Competition Details