THE WORLD SUMMIT WAS ENORMOUS SUCCESS

After a week full of activity, the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth came to an end with a bang, with the newly formed Global Youth Media Council presented the findings of their week-long talks and recommendations.

The week saw the UK representatives helping to facilitate and take part in the Global Youth Media Council which came up with 6 recommendations for a fairer global media including increased media literacy, e-safety and a call for a more socially responsive media.

'We made a video, animation, logo and website in the space of a few hours!'

Alongside these recommendations, the GYMC also produced a press release, a logo, a website, a video and an animation to help convey their message and spread the word. This was an unbelievable achievement in just 48 hours! You can check out all the latest content and news from at the GYMC blog including the remarkable feedback and great endorsements we had, including Lord David Puttnam signing our petition.

The animation produced by young people from around the world based on one the recommendations put forward by the GYMC

THE UKYMC RELAX AND SEE THE SIGHTS OF SWEDEN

The UKYMC yesterday got a tour of Karlstad via boat courtesy of the young people from the Swedish Youth Media Council.

UKYMC member, Tom Webb, and others relax riverside after a long day at the World Summit.

UNICEF representative and quotas

Today at the summit, we talked to Karen Cirillo, Executive Producer of Children’s Broadcasting Initiatives at UNICEF in New York. Her “controversial idea” for the Global Youth Media Council is that the media should have quotas to ensure a variety of voices are presented to the public.

"We need more diversity in media. It doesn’t have to be, ‘Oh, this is a show about an immigrant’ – it’s a show about a family, which who just happen to be immigrants…”

Karen sat on a panel discussing Human Rights and Intercultural Dialogue: How Media Literacy increases awareness of differences and develops respect for the others.

DAY 3 - HIGHLIGHTS

The final 6 issues were decided today and then a range of recommendations were put forward by the group to help help solve these problems. This process was done through a series of fun group activities and brainstorming sessions. This made the process very fun but also allowed for some very creative and innovative responses.

The photos above are the group's initials brainstorms.

UN representative believes Fox, BBC and Al-Jazzeria should work together

Today at the summit, we talked to Jordi Torrent, Head of UN Alliance for Civilizations, USA, after his presentation on Media Literacy.

“Growing up, I was very interested in The Prisoner…I grew up in Franco’s Spain where censorship was very strong, so any media that was opening your horizons was welcoming…”

His recommendation for the Global Youth Media Council was for CNN, Fox, BBC, France La Monde, Al Jazeera etc to work together to provide an international TV show for young people. Jordi discussed how the AOC has been connecting and providing a platform for various international organisations, with the aim of providing the very best and latest media literacy articles. The AOC is also one of the first organisations to provide translations of articles on media literacy from English to Arabic.

Jordi is also promoting Plural+, an international film platform for young people. Plural+ is a great starting point for aspiring film makers: numerous organisations offer a variety of prizes (including the chance to be part of a Sundance Film Festival workshop) and the best films are released internationally as a DVD.

Interview and text by Richard Lemmer

THE AUSTRALIANS HAVE LANDED

Australian Youth Council travelled 30 hours to be here in Karlstad for the World Summit. Here they are featured on the World Summit Daily News.

DAY 2 - THE GLOBAL YOUTH COUNCIL KICKS OFF

Today marked the first of four sessions to be held for Global Youth Media Council at the World Summit, held at the magnificent 'pod' building at Karlstad University



30 young people from 10 different countries gathered for the Global Youth Media Council



As a result, the young people discussed and decided on a set of main issues regarding children, young people and the media.

LONG TRIP FOR YOUNG YORKA

Global Youth Council member, Yorka from Bolivia, is 13 and had to travel a total of 36 hours. The council's lone Bolivian representative travelled for 13 hours on a bus just to attain a visa in Bolivia's capital. Her father, a miner, gave up a weeks worth of wages so he could travel with Yorka to the capital in order to attend the World Summit.

UKYMC MEMBER UMA SPEAKS AT OPENING CEREMONY

Uma Akther, member of the UK Youth Media Council, after hearing Queen Rania of Jordan's opening speech, presented our aims for the Summit with regards to the Global Youth Council.

DAY 1 AT THE WORLD SUMMIT

DAY 1 - OPENING CEREMONY

Today at Karlstad University, was the first time delegates, ministers and lecturers came together for the opening ceremony of the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth.

Mixed in with speeches on the most recent developments on children's media were cultural performances from the local Swedish young people.

Amongst those joining the world leaders on media on centre stage was the UKYMC's very own Uma Akther who, in an inspiring speech, introduced our council and our aims for the Summit.

Tomorrow we will be beginning a Global Youth Media Council sessions and trying to come up with a Global Youth Charter with other young people who have travelled from all over the world. Exciting times ahead!

THE UKYMC are in Stockholm

The UK Youth Media Council arrived yesterday in Sweden to attend the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth. After a briefly checking out the sights of the capital Sweden, the group then travelled on to Karlstad where the Summit takes place. After all these months and all this planning, we cannot wait for the opening ceremony and for the summit to begin! Uma will be taking centre stage during the opening ceremony in a matter of hours!

THE UK YOUTH MEDIA COUNCIL ARE OFF TO SWEDEN

Welcome! We are the UK Youth Media Council! We are going to Sweden between 12-18 June to represent the United Kingdom and to discuss ways to improve the media from the youth perspective.

Created by the British Council, we will be leading on discussions to create a set of recommendations at the world’s largest summit on young people and the media. The Council comprised of five young people, aged 18 to 24, living across the UK have skills in politics, journalism, campaigning, youth media and law.

The World Summit on Media for Children and Youth takes place in Karlstad, Sweden, June 14th-18th, and will see over 1,500 media experts and young people from across the world debate and produce recommendations for the better representation and involvement in the media.

Adrian Mills, Head of Business & Planning of BBC Children's said, "Young people have a lot to say about, and contribute to, the media that forms such an important part of their lives. A UK Youth Media Council is a great way to facilitate that."

The UK Youth Media Council will recommend an International Children and Youth Media Day, having children and young people involved in commissioning TV for them and increasing the number of children and young people who write for national newspapers and will campaign for also want better media literacy to be taught in all primary schools to address safeguarding children on the internet and control cyber bullying.

One of the things the UK will be campaigning about is better opportunities for young people in the mainstream media and promoting organisations such as the Youth-led Media Network and encouraging similar things on a global scale

The council will be keeping everyone updated on this blog and on our facebook page, plus feel free to email us!