14th International Youth Media Summit kicks off in Pokhara; 58 delegates from 21 countries gather in lake city for cross-country media collaboration
The 14th annual International Youth Media Summit (IYMS) kicked-off today at Pokhara, Nepal. 58 delegates from 21 countries were welcomed at the event being held at Mt. Kailash Resort through August 9.
The IYMS is an annual two-week event where delegates meet for the opportunity to work beyond borders. The delegates collaborate on media projects and motivate one another to take action and responsibility to insure their generation can shape the world.
“We build bridges across cultures, one film at a time, and one youth at a time” said President Evelyn Seubert. “In this process during the last 13 years more than 1000 young delegates and adult advisors representing 66 countries have participated at our events.”
Delegates and filmmakers, ranging in age from 14 to 24, create two minute films each focus on finding solutions for seven global issues; discrimination, environment, health, poverty, violence, women’s rights and youth empowerment. Additionally workshop guides (tools to accompany the films to develop dialog and action plans for local communities) and written and recorded declarations from each delegate related to the Summit are created and distributed.
Recognized by the delegates of the first IYMS in 2006, all seven of these issues still impact the lives everywhere in the world,“ said Chairman of the Advisory Board, Birgitta Olsson. “Every year for the past 13 years, new delegates have explored the power and impact of media to transform attitudes, behaviors and lives. They apply new awareness to the making of films about these seven issues. Great short films have been spread all over the world”, Olsson added. “All the delegates are ready for action.
Juan Pablo Ramirez Miranda, Head of Social and Human Sciences from UNESCO in New Delhi, recognized the important contribution of IYMS for youth using the power of media as a tool for amplifying the voices of youth. He invited the delegates to “take the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals in their hands, and be the very architects of a sustainable future”.
“2019 is a very important one for IMYS,” said Seubert. “This winter Sapan Hamal became the first Executive Director and opened our Asian Regional Center in Katmandu. Together with strong member organizations in Sweden and the United States, we are moving across the globe.”
Hamal told the delegates that Nepal has received the support from the Film Development Board of Nepal, Nepal Tourism Board Visit Year 2020, including several United Nations organizations such as UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA, UNRCPD, UNSCO, and UN Women.
Other officials at the opening ceremonies included Narayan Acharya from Tourism Ministry, Chiranjibi Pokharel from Pokhara Tourism Council, and Dhan Bahadur Karki, the Superintendent of Police, Gandak Pradesh.
Delegates at the 2019 IMYS conference come from Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestinian Territory, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America.
The band named Adrishya Kiran from Pokhara performed some popular Nepalese songs and provided dance music as part of the opening ceremonies.
