Press Contact: Bee Lee  
beelee@liaawards.com

For Immediate Release 

Hi

Below is a press release announcing LIA's inaugural Democracy and Human Rights creative competition, along with its 2026 Jury President and Jurors.  This jury is comprised of individuals that are either active or have personal experience in the sphere of democracy and human rights.

LIA is the first and only awards show to introduce this competition.

We are grateful for your partnership in getting this news out there.

We look forward to seeing this in your publication.

Regards,
Bee 

Bee Lee 
PR & Marketing Director
London International Awards
www.liaawards.com

JURY PRESIDENT
Anthony Chelvanathan
Global Creative Partner
Edelman / 
CCO, Edelman, Toronto

Jury President, Anthony Chelvanathan, Global Creative Partner and CCO, Edelman Canada, commented: “LIA stands out for its open judging process, with live deliberations that invite media and creatives to witness decisions firsthand. That level of transparency makes it a natural fit to introduce a Democracy and Human Rights competition. I’m incredibly honored to chair its first jury, a role that feels especially meaningful given my own background fleeing conflict.”

Anthony also said, “Not everything we do in advertising changes the world, but it’s very likely that work in this category will attempt to. It’s a noble mission for any creative to be a part of.”

As Edelman’s first-ever Global Creative Partner and Chief Creative Officer (Canada), Anthony drives creative innovation and strategic direction across more than 60 offices in lockstep with Judy John, the agency’s Global CCO. 

Since joining Edelman Canada, Anthony has helped the company make history as the first PR agency in the country to win a Gold Lion at Cannes with IKEA SHT. 
 
Throughout his career, Anthony has been a sought-after jury member in multiple international award shows. In a career milestone, Anthony became the first judge to represent Sri Lanka at Cannes Lions, showcasing his commitment to elevating diverse perspectives on the global stage. He has since represented Canada on numerous occasions. A champion of the younger generation, he often joins coaching and mentorship programs to help up-and-coming creatives develop confidence in their ideas.  

Anthony's work is known for its innovative approach to storytelling and brand strategy. When he's not crafting game-changing ideas, Anthony can be found in his kitchen delighting his friends with his signature curries.


Other jurors on this panel are:

Rob is the Executive Producer and CEO of FINCH, one of the leading production companies in Australia and New Zealand. He is also co-founder of 36 Months, which led a national campaign to raise the minimum age of social media from 13 to 16 — the first law of its kind anywhere in the world.  

Under Rob’s leadership, FINCH’s work won the very first SDG Grand Prix for The Lion's Share, many Cannes Gold Lions, the first Branded Entertainment Lion, two D&AD Black Pencils, one White and many Yellow Pencils, Grands Prix at LIA, The New York Festivals, Spikes Asia and the Grand Lotus for Humanity at Adfest in Asia. FINCH’s work has also been nominated for an Oscar, several Emmys, an AACTA award and an ARIA award.

Rob is also co-founder of Songbird Studios, an independent production company that produces creatively ambitious 

Rob Galluzzo
CEO / Founder
FINCH, Sydney

documentaries. Their recent film, “Porcelain War”, has been recognized with honors including an Academy Awards® Nomination for Best Documentary and the Sundance U.S Documentary Grand Jury Prize.

Rob’s passion for innovation, and the lack of technology classes at his daughter’s school, inspired Rob to co-found Creatable, an education disruptor that aims to solve the lag between industry and education around the globe. Creatable’s initiative in Burundi involves teaching students science and technology through real-world solutions, such as how to make The Rocket Stove, a life-saving device that was adopted both by community on the ground, and as policy by the Burundi’s Ministry of Education.

Matt Murphy
Global Chief Creative Officer
72andSunny

As the Global Chief Creative Officer at 72andSunny, Matt drives a relentless pursuit of creativity, expanding the boundaries of innovation through art, technology, and entertainment. With an innate passion for experimentation, Matt continuously seeks fresh avenues to cultivate dynamic partnerships with brand collaborators.
 
His unwavering dedication to partnership has birthed extraordinary collaborations, from mobilizing millions of girls to code holiday trees on the esteemed grounds of the White House to transforming the mission of United Airlines, elevating its workforce into a formidable collective force for good. Notably, his visionary approach redefined the landscape of digital dating, culminating in the groundbreaking Tinder App venture, Swipe Night, seamlessly translating virtual connections into real-life encounters, igniting sparks that transcended the digital realm.

José Miguel Sokoloff is one of the most awarded creative leaders in the world — and one of the few who has used advertising to help end a war.

As President and Chief Creative Officer of Omnicom's Unilever team, he leads the global relationship with Unilever, spanning strategy, creativity, and commercial accountability.

Born and raised in Colombia, José Miguel spent years developing campaigns for the Colombian government aimed at demobilizing FARC guerrilla fighters — work that helped persuade thousands of armed combatants to lay down their weapons and return to civilian life. Recognized with the industry's highest honors across creativity and effectiveness, the work attracted global attention — featured on 60 Minutes and This American Life, and the subject of his TED Global talk. He was inducted into the Latin Talent Hall of Honor in 2024.

Jose Miguel Sokoloff
President and CCO,
Omnicom Team Unilever
Omnicom, London

His conviction is that creativity is among the most powerful forms of soft power available to humanity — capable of shifting beliefs and opening doors that politics and force have failed to unlock.

When he is not in a boardroom or on a stage, he is on the road — logging the miles that remind him that progress, in any endeavor, is made one step at a time.

Tanja Rudolf
Head of Concept & Design Unit,
Directorate for Outreach,
Directorate-General for Communication
European Parliament, Brussels

As Head of the Concept & Design Unit at the European Parliament’s Directorate-General for Communication, Tanja Rudolf leads the institution’s in-house creative and strategic communications function, helping shape how the Parliament connects with citizens across Europe.
 
With over 20 years of experience across advertising, marketing, and institutional communication, Tanja has played a central role in defining the European Parliament’s modern communication approach and pioneered its branding strategy.
 
In her previous capacity as Advisor to the Director-General of Communication, she developed the communication strategies for the 2019 and 2024 get out the vote campaigns for the European elections and oversaw their implementation across the European Union. The 2024 “Use Your Vote” campaign received multiple international accolades, including a Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness at Eurobest, as well as awards at D&AD, The One Show, Epica and Effie Europe, among others — 

recognition that is rare for a public institution and reflects the campaign’s scale and impact.
 
Born in Slovenia and raised in Singapore and Lebanon, Tanja brings an international perspective to her work, with a strong interest in how communication can strengthen democratic engagement across cultures.

Diane M. Foley is President and Founder of the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, which she created in September 2014 less than a month after the public beheading by ISIS in Syria of her son James W. Foley, an American freelance conflict journalist.

In 2015, she led JWFLF efforts to fund the start of Hostage US and the International Alliance for a Culture of Safety, ACOS. She actively participated in the National Counter-terrorism Center hostage review which culminated in the Presidential Policy Directive-30. This directive created the current US hostage enterprise consisting of an inter-agency Hostage Recovery Fusion Cell, Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and a White House Hostage Response Group to free innocent Americans taken hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. JWFLF was instrumental in the passage of the Robert Levinson Hostage Taking and Accountability Act.

Diane Foley
President & Founder
James W. Foley Legacy Foundation, Portsmouth, NH

She has been a tireless hostage, wrongful detainee and family advocate within the US hostage enterprise, Congress, and every presidential administration since 2014. She has raised awareness of international hostage-taking and wrongful detention using the award-winning documentary, “Jim, the James Foley story”, opinion pieces in the New York Times, Washington Post and USA Today and media interviews.

Diane has spoken on the power of forgiveness in various faith communities and was included in 200 Women, edited by Geoff Blackwell.

She co-authored the book “American Mother” which was published in 2024 with writer Colum McCann. Diane is also the author of a chapter called, “Life For A Voice: the Work of Journalist James W. Foley through the Eyes of his Family” in Living with Precariousness, edited by Christina Lee and Susan Leong, which was published in 2023.

Previously, Diane worked as a community health nurse and as a family nurse practitioner for 18 years. She received both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of New Hampshire.

She is active in her Roman Catholic parish of St Katherine Drexel in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, where she lives with her husband, Dr. John W. Foley. She is the mother of five children.

New jury members will be announced as they are appointed.

Barbara Levy, President and Founder of LIA, added: “The advertising industry wields great power. When the same marketing and creative thinking and strategy that goes into selling a packaged good is used to shift public perception, champion dignity and fundamental human rights to a broader audience, it brings profound positive impact for lasting change on a global scale.”

Entry fee for this category is $250.00 USD

The LIA 2026 judging will be held at Encore @ Wynn Las Vegas from 25th September through 3rd October, 2026.

All judging will be done onsite. There is no pre-judging or shortlist jury. Every member of the jury will see all the work and decide which work to award, thus setting the creative benchmark for 2026.

The Entry system is now open.

All Entries Finalized Through 30th April 2026
Will Receive A 35% Discount Off The Standard Entry Fee

For more information on the juries, categories and/or requirements, visit our website: www.liaawards.com

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Notes to the Editor:
As the show Created for Creatives, LIA is one of 5 global shows included in the WARC Creative 100, the Drum World Creative Rankings, ADC Germany, Indikat, Campaign Brief Rankings, as well as, many other global and regional lists that independently and impartially rank creative excellence.

Established in 1986, LIA is known for its commitment to excellence. Renowned for its rigorous and transparent judging process, LIA brings together top-tier creative leaders from around the world for an immersive, in-person judging week held in Las Vegas.

All judging takes place onsite in Las Vegas. No online judging, no shortlist juries, no half measures. Every juror sees every piece of work entered in their respective categories. There is total transparency as our jury rooms are open. This unique format emphasizes integrity, fosters deep discussion, high standards, and thoughtful evaluation of the industry’s most outstanding work.

LIA is one of the most respected global award shows honouring creative work across Advertising, Design, Sports, Gaming, Package Design, Data, Digital, Technology, Craft, Health & Pharma, Music, PR, Innovation, Strategy, B2B, Business Transformation, Branded Content, Media, Music and Production.
 
Continuing its mission to give back to the industry, in 2012 LIA established the Creative LIAisons Global Coaching Academy. Funded by LIA, this is an initiative to develop, educate and inspire emerging talent. Annually, over 300 young creatives benefit from this comprehensive global training program, which gives the next generation the opportunity to learn from the most experienced and awarded creative professionals in our industry. Today, LIA runs onsite and virtual programs, both of which have become the most-sought after educational training programs in the industry. 

LIA is a fully woman-owned company established in 1986 by Barbara Levy, President & Founder.