FAQ

Who is behind the global tole-rants movement?

Leading international communications agency in the social arena, global tolerance.

global tolerance is an international flag bearer for media ethics, working on heartfelt communications campaigns with HH Dalai Lama, Rajmohan Gandhi, HRH The Prince of Wales, and many of the best-known social activists and NGOs around the world.

After working with the international nonprofit TED, helping to turn Karen Armstrong's Charter for Compassion from a vision into a reality, global tolerance was inspired to encapsulate heartfelt communications in the tole-rants movement.

In a similar vein to its work with TED and the Charter for Compassion, global tolerance will work with the winning tole-rant, to forge partnerships and raise the tole-rant's profile to help turn the heartfelt solution into a reality. See the competition page for more information

Connect with global tolerance

Why did global tolerance set up tole-rants.com?

A team from leading international communications agency in the social arena, global tolerance, launched tole-rants on the United Nations International Day of Tolerance, 16th November 2009, to share a formula for effective communications: speaking concisely about solutions to social problems, from the heart.

global tolerance strives to balance sensationalist stories that incite fear by shining a spotlight on solutions-driven stories of hope.

The tole-rants platform raises the voices of those who have hope for the future, and of all global social change makers who work towards solutions to social problems... lets hear them tole-rant.

What is the tole-rants vision?

• to spread hope rather than fear in communications
• to make tole-rants a household word in the English dictionary, synonymous with constructive rants

What is a tole-rant?

60 seconds of hope.

A tole-rant is a 60 second heartfelt video that points to a solution to a social problem.

It is also a formula for effective communications:

• being concise
• using the heart
• being solutions-orientated

Why tole-rant?

By tole-ranting, being concise, constructive and speaking from the heart, more people are likely to listen and engage with your social problem. The more people who listen, the more chance for hope to be spread, leading to positive action.

How is tole-rants funded?

Tole-rants is an initiative funded and managed exclusively by the international communications agency global tolerance. Tole-rants is not a profit-making initiative - it is something global tolerance committed to as a positive social contribution. Tole-rants is sustained by the hearts and energy of all global tole-ranters who post their videos and join the movement for tole-rants.

Contact with global tolerance

What's the best way to tole-rant?

See tips for tole-rants

I'd like to learn more, who do I contact?

Go to the contact us page

Can I tole-rant on any topic?

You may tole-rant on any social problem (common sense is needed here, the fact that you don't like the colour blue would not, for example, constitute a social problem!) If you do not succeed in expressing a solution to the social problem, and your tole-rant is not constructive, your tole-rant may not be uploaded (on account of it being more rant than tole-rant!).

If you submit a tole-rant that has no relevance to social problems and solutions, your tole-rant will not be uploaded onto the site or submitted to the competition.

Will my tole-rant be censored?

There is a vetting process. When submitted, your tole-rant will be viewed by the team at global tolerance. If the tole-rant is deemed to break the rules, it will not be uploaded onto the site or submitted to the global tole-rants competition.

What is the UN International Day of Tolerance (16th November)?

UN Member States observe the annual UN International Day of Tolerance (16th November), following the adoption of the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance in 1995. By observing the International Day of Tolerance, Member States help to advance human welfare, freedom and progress, as well as to encourage tolerance, respect, dialogue and cooperation among different cultures, civilizations and people.

The global tole-rants competition and website were launched on the UN International Day of Tolerance, 16th November as tole-rants spread hope rather than fear in global communications. Intolerance is often caused by spreading problem-orientated, fear-driven, sensationalist stories. Tole-rants change all of that.

How do I submit/upload my video?

Click upload your tole-rant and follow the instructions.

Do I need a YouTube account?

No. Tole-rants uses a YouTube API technology so that when you upload a video you automatically upload to an official tole-rants YouTube account ('globaltolerants'). The video automatically sets to private and goes public once we have reviewed and approved the video. Like using a YouTube account, however, when you upload a video, you legally own it and you are simply providing us with a license to publish the video on your behalf. Check out the terms and conditions for more details.

By submitting my tole-rant video, I have uploaded the video to the globaltolerant's YouTube account. What does this mean?

Tole-rants uses a YouTube API technology so that when you upload a video you automatically upload to upload to an official tole-rants YouTube account ('globaltolerants'). The video automatically sets to private and goes public once we have reviewed and approved the video. Like using a YouTube account, however, when you upload a video, you legally own it and you are simply providing us with a license to publish the video on your behalf. Check out the terms and conditions for more details.

I have submitted my tole-rant video but there seems to be problems uploading - what can I do?

Firstly, please be patient. When you click upload the process may take several minutes, have a cup of tea, and wait until you get the confirmation page. If you'e still having problems please email us at tole-rants@globaltolerance.com and we will try and help out as soon as possible.

I have submitted my video but can't see it online? Where is it?

Before being uploaded onto the tole-rants website, your tole-rant needs to be checked to see that it keeps to the rules. Once reviewed, your tole-rant will be uploaded.

How long will it take for my video to appear on the tole-rants website?

Before being uploaded onto the tole-rants website, your tole-rant needs to be checked. Once reviewed, your tole-rant will be uploaded. We will try to finish this process as quickly as we can.

Some of the tole-rants videos have black spaces next to them - what's that about?

Some people film their tole-rants in portrait format rather than landscape. (Hint, if you film with an iphone, make sure you film in landscape if you want to avoid this) This accounts for the black spaces when they're uploaded.

The picture quality seems quite poor in some tole-rants videos - why is that?

Tole-rants are not about Hollywood production values. We encourage people to use their mobile phones, laptops and other video recording equipment. Tole-rants are about story telling from the heart. Picture quality is not the focus of this global movement.

What resolution do videos need to be filmed in?

As the uploader is directly linked to YouTube we accept all resolutions accepted by YouTube. If you are open for your tole-rant to be used by broadcasters and news outlets around the world then the higher the resolution the better.

Here are YouTube's guidelines: "There is no required minimum resolution - in general the higher resolution the better and HD resolution is preferred".

What size does the video need to be?

There is no minimum size of video. Maximum size is 1GB.

What length does the video need to be?

Tole-rants should be no more than 60 seconds. 1 second over and it won't be entered, we're afraid.

Please see the rules.

What is the best video format to film the tole-rant.

You can film your tole-rant on mobile phones, laptops, flip cameras or other amateur video devices. As with YouTube, the tole-rants can be sent in the following formats:

• Windows Media Video (.WMV)
• 3GP (cell phones)
• AVI (windows)
• MOV (mac)
• MP4 (ipod/psp)
• MPEG
• FLV (adobe flash)
• MKV (h.264)

What is the deadline for entries date?

Voting of tole-rants for the 2010/2011 competition videos will end at 23:59 on 30th September 2011.

When will the winner be announced?

The winner will be announced on 16th November 2011, the UN International Day of Tolerance (or tole-rants!).

Who can enter?

Anyone impassioned by a social problem and willing to share a hope-filled, heartfelt solution.

Organizations are welcome. If your organization would like to be an official supporter of tole-rants, please see how your organisation can support tole-rants

Please do get permission from your parents/guardians if you are under 18 (as per the terms and conditions).

What are the rules?

Please see rules

What are the terms and conditions?

Please see terms and conditions

Who decides on the winner?

6 finalists are decided by peer review so vote for and share the tole-rants that have inspired you with hope. The 6 most popular, as voted by you, will go through to a judging panel including Mahatma Gandhi's grandson and the UNESCO Assistant Director General for Communication and Information.

The tole-rants judges will choose one winner from the 6 finalists.

What could I win?

The winning tole-ranter will be prized with having their tole-rant's heartfelt solution on the road to reality when global tolerance uses its global networks, relationships and communications expertise to catapult it onto the public agenda.*

*global tolerance will award a global communications program up to a maximum value of 18,000 pounds, 12 days / 96 hours of support, subject to terms and conditions.

Can I enter more than once?

There is no limit to the number of tole-rants you can enter, as long as they are solutions-orientated and within the rules.

Can I enter on behalf of my organisation?

Organisations are welcome to enter the competition. Our advice is to keep it personal and heartfelt. The name of your organisation will appear next to the tole-rant video. If you would like to support tole-rants as an organisation, find out how here.

My video has 5 stars on YouTube - why isn't it in the top rated section in tole-rants?

Your tole-rant video needs to be voted on the tole-rants website for it to become one of the most popular tole-rants.

What does most popular mean?

The more people that vote for your tole-rant on the tole-rants website, the more popular your tole-rant will become. The 6 most popular will become finalists in the global tole-rants competition

Why don't you use most viewed for the winner?

While sharing tole-rants is central to the movement, the most viewed tole-rants are not necessarily the tole-rants that inspire the most people with hope. The voting system records each time someone has been inspired by hope. The 6 most popular will become finalists in the global tole-rants competition

How does the voting work?

Voters vote for the tole-rants that inspire them with hope. The 6 most popular will become finalists in the global tole-rants competition

Can I vote for more than one tole-rant?

Yes, please vote for every tole-rant that you think inspires hope, and that you would like to see become a reality one day.

Can I vote more than once for the same tole-rant?

No, the system will prevent you from voting for the same tole-rant more than once. If you want to gain more votes for your tole-rant, encourage your friends and family to vote for the tole-rant via the share page.

When is the deadline for voting?

Voting of tole-rants for the 2010/2011 competition will end at 23:59 on 30th September 2011.

What are the terms and conditions?

Please see terms and conditions

Who owns the videos?

If you filmed your tole-rants then the copyright legally belongs to you (or your organisation if you enter on behalf of one). By uploading it to the tole-rants website, you are giving permission to global tolerance to use the tole-rant on the tole-rants website. If you are an organisation, please do use your tole-rant for any internal/external marketing or for your own social campaigns.

Please check the terms and conditions for more information.

What are the copyright terms?

If you filmed your tole-rants then the copyright legally belongs to you (or your organisation). By uploading it to the tole-rants website, you are giving permission to global tolerance to use the tole-rant on the tole-rants website. If you are an organisation, please do use your tole-rant for any internal/external marketing or for your own social campaigns.

Please check the terms and conditions for more information.

I have someone else's tole-rant video, can I upload it?

As the copyright of the tole-rant belongs to the tole-ranter or organisation that filmed the tole-rant, please ask their express permission before uploading the tole-rant.

Please check the terms and conditions for more information.

Can I copy someone else's tole-rant?

You are welcome to tole-rant on a topic that is already on the tole-rants site (it makes the social issue larger on the video cloud, which makes it easier to find) but original tole-rants only please.

Can I embed / use other tole-rants?

You are welcome to use the tole-rants for any non-commercial and personal use. If you are an organisation/media outlet please contact us, and we will aim to secure permission for you to use your tole-rants of choice.

I have uploaded a tole-rant - can I use it for my own internal / external marketing? Do I need permission?

If you filmed the tole-rant, it belongs to you! You can use it in your own internal/external marketing. If you would like to use someone else's tole-rant, please contact us and we will request permission from the tole-ranter.

Who can use my tole-rant and for what purposes?

When you upload your tole-rant you give global tolerance permission to use your tole-rant. Anyone else who would like to use your tole-rant for commercial purposes will need you consent. They will contact global tolerance and we will send you a request. Please check the terms and conditions for more information.

I am a journalist and want to use the footage for my programme / website - can I?

The tole-rant promo video, Tips to tole-rant and high res images are free for you to download. If you would like to interview the tole-ranters or use one of the tole-rants videos, please contact us and we will try and help.

I have uploaded my video but can't see it online? Where is it?

Once uploaded, YouTube automatically marks the tole-rants as private while we check they keep to the rules. As soon as we have reviewed your tole-rant we will upload it onto the tole-rants website.

There is a problem with my video / content - what do I do?

If there is a problem with your video or you would like it removed, please contact us and we will try our best to remove it as quickly as possible - it's your video after all.

I see an inappropriate video - what do I do?

If you think a tole-rant video is intole-rant and offensive, please report it in the first instance (click report on the video), and then contact us and we will consider removing it from the site.

I can see a video has several reports but it is still online - why is this?

The global tolerance team monitor the reported videos on an ongoing basis, if you feel strongly that the video is intole-rant and should be removed, please contact us straight away and we'll be happy to discuss this with you.

I am holding an event and would like to film tole-rants - can you help?

The tole-rants movement is geared to empower organisations to independently film tole-rants to further their own internal/external marketing. We may be able to help in some circumstances, please contact us.

Can I interview the tole-ranters?

If you would like to interview the tole-ranters or use the tole-rants, please contact us and we will try our best to help.

Do you have high res photographs I can use?

Please choose from our selection of high res images and contact us if you need anything else.

Is there a promo video I can use?

You are welcome to use the promo video and tips for tole-rants. If you would like to interview the tole-ranters or use the tole-rants, please contact us and we will try our best to put you in touch with the tole-ranter. The tole-rants movement is geared to empower organisations to independently film tole-rants to further their own internal/external marketing. We may be able to help in some circumstances, please contact us.

Who do I contact for media enquiries?

All media enquiries:

Sandra Deeble
+44 (0)7787 578 186
sandra@globaltolerance.com

Simon Cohen
+44 (0)845 054 0064
+44 (0)751 538 7314
simon@globaltolerance.com