The pics4peace online competition "Against Extremism, for Democracy" 2018 is closed.

The contest entries of the young participants are all super impressive and show a lot of inner commitment: whether as a poem, short story, song, picture, photography or video!

The topics are also diverse and close to the hearts of the young adults:

Their contributions are about the insecurities one has, also in dealing with strangers. And how to overcome them. About the need to take the challenges in the here and now seriously and to get involved. To stand up against exclusion, no matter what skin color, religion, gender a person is or what else may distinguish them from others.

And also against those who represent exclusion, populism and extremism in their statements and actions. An urgent appeal, which was expressed in several contributions in the most diverse ways.

Proposals for solutions were put forward that everyone can work on themselves, as well as social groups and those responsible: Getting to know each other, approaching each other, daring to be friends are important ways to reduce prejudices. People who know and like each other can no longer simply go after each other, mob the other or even do violence to the other.

One thing becomes clear: there is a longing among young people for peace in the world, in our society and also among us. A longing for justice, for us to deal responsibly with what we have. A longing for what is going badly to change. Young people feel this responsibility, they see it and they have a sense of where there is something to do.

Here are a few more key points on what was mentioned in the contributions, for example:

• Protecting minorities and the socially disadvantaged,
• Reduce discrimination against women, homosexuals, people with disabilities, and those who look different. Equal rights for all,
• Actively combat abuse of power, - so that the weaker members of our society are no longer oppressed, disadvantaged or threatened and affected by violence.
• Respect the dignity of every individual and act accordingly
• Protect animals and treat them with care
• Protecting the environment and ensuring that it is still alive and the earth is still habitable for future generations.
• Commit to peace, consider what that means concretely for everyone;
• Remembering, recognizing similar dangers today and doing something to make it better.
• To stand up for the preservation of freedom of expression and against the manipulation of facts online, as offline.
• Defending our fundamental rights and the democracy that has brought us the longest peace ever in history,
• Doing more to promote togetherness instead of being against each other.

THANK YOU to all of you who with your creative contributions, spoke such a clear language! You are fantastic!

THANK YOU also to everyone who voted online and of course to our Jury!

The contest, as you know, has recently closed. The online voting logs and jury votes are complete. Also counted. Today is appointment with our legal counsel, IT law expert and social media specialist, Chan-jo Jun, who will review the process from the outside with his expert examiner's eye.

We hope that everything will fit and we will be able to announce the winners before Christmas. You will find out here!