A gift from an anonymous donor will fund the launch of a Web video program at the Elliott School of International Affairs, university officials said last week.

The project – which has funding for the next two years – will enable the Elliott School to host streaming videos from 25 events held this year and 25 next year.

Associate Dean Douglas Shaw said the program would be a way for the public to enjoy the school’s prime D.C. location.

“[This] creates a way for everyone to benefit from our location,” Shaw said. “We are able to have many international speakers come to the Elliott School and we want to share that experience.”

The current budget to film and edit videos is about $1,500, excluding Web site fees that will result from the large file sizes of the videos, Shaw said.

When asked about the total cost of the entire project, Jennifer Golden, director of public affairs at the Elliott School, said she was “unable to give a specific cost” because of the different variables that must be taken into account for at each recording like lighting and cameras.

The first video to premier on the site will be last week’s climate change conference featuring Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. Due to the number of events the Elliott School hosts each year – last year there were over 250 speakers, forums and panels – videos will have to meet specific criteria before being uploaded.

“Selection of videos is an ongoing process. As events are confirmed, we evaluate them to determine if they will be of interest to a wide audience and if they showcase our priority research initiatives,” Golden said.

Golden said the first five events have already been chosen. They include the “Correcting Global Imbalances” discussion with Pulitzer Prize Winner Steven Pearlstein, the launch of the Elliott School’s new Institute for Security and Conflict Studies, an event with General William E. Ward, leader of the U.S. Africa Command, and the Distinguished Women in International Affairs programming.

“We want to make sure we represent the breadth and depth of the Elliott School’s research and scholarship,” Golden said. “We plan on featuring at least one event sponsored by each of our research institutes, as well as some of our marquee series.” u