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.

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!