DEF is all set to celebrate the spirit of social media as a platform for empowerment and development of the masses on the occasion of the third edition of ‘Social Media for Empowerment Awards & Summit’ (SM4E) on March 15, 2016. This initiative not only honours best social media initiatives from eight South Asian countries but also brings together people from diverse backgrounds such as experts in the field, government officials, academicians, activists, entrepreneurs, innovators, students, film-makers, bureaucrats and journalists to share success stories and their views on some of the best practices.
Besides, SM4E provides all participants and attendees with an opportunity to connect and become a part of a global network to gain greater understanding of social and digital media practices as well as share their own practices and experiences.
Last month, twelve members of the Grand Jury for SM4E Awards picked 60 Finalists after two days of grueling assessments and discussions held at The Bagh resort in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, on January 22 and 23, 2016. The Finalists were chosen in 10 categories – Community Mobilisation; Communication, Advocacy & Development Activism; Crowd Funding; Social Commerce & Enterprise; Social Games & Entertainment; Social Apps; Women Empowerment; Public Relations; Citizen Journalism; and Online Safety.
The Grand Jury brought varied knowledge, insights and perspectives with regard to use of social media into the process. The jurors were divided into 5 groups and assigned two categories each. The groups were given two hours to go through their nominations in their category, following which the discussions began. Each group presented and justified their selections with reason and logic. The discussions went late into the night. The Jurors were back on the table the next morning to finish the remaining categories. Finally, winners, including Special Mentions, among 60 Finalists emerged out of the grueling process.
The winners will be officially felicitated on March 15, 2016, during the Social Media for Empowerment Awards and Summit, 2016. We would be glad if you join us on the day to cheer and honour the winners. To know about the venue and other details, please visit www.sm4e.org.
This year, DEF has partnered with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation based on a common vision towards promoting equality and liberty in the society. Together, FNF and DEF are working towards achieving their goals through collaboration on SM4E Awards & Summit, and SM4E Workshops. The aim of SM4E workshops is to initiate and orient specific groups in social media in tier-II and tier-III towns of India, so that they could use it for outreach, promotion and marketing their skills and products.