Macedonian Ad To "Reintroduce Religious Tolerance" Wins Cannes Lions Award

Ten Meters Apart, a Macedonian ad encouraging inter-faith tolerance, has just won the Titanium Lion at the 2013 Cannes Lions- the Academy Awards of the advertising industry- and the first time a commercial from the Balkans has won the title.

In response to the Macedonian government's call "to try and reintroduce religious tolerance," and coexistence, the ad campaign was inspired by a small village in the middle of nowhere, where Muslims and Christians use the same temple to worship.

The ad (click here) shot on 10/18/2012 features Muslims and Christians praying together, the first time ever. People now want to make it an annual event: National Prayer Day. 

The joint prayer is led by Miftar Islami, an official representative of Macedonia's Islamic community, and Father Mihail, an official representative of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.

It highlights efforts by the Christian and Muslim communities in the war-torn region to come closer together.

Lovely idea, but I didn't see any women in the ad. I guess they don't see inclusiveness of all religions and genders as an integral part of tolerance.

There are still lingering problems in Macedonia after the short, albeit bloody and violent conflict in 2001 between ethnic (Muslim) Albanians and Macedonian forces. Apparently, the country has seen a rise in ethnic and religiously motivated hate crimes.

I suppose you have to start somewhere, and as it states at the end of the commercial:

Peace is a never ending process.