The International Youth Media Summit was again held this year in a virtual edition from July 22 to August 1. Organized by the Croatian Film Association, 80 diplomats, filmmakers and advisors from 19 countries gathered on online platforms to participate in the 16th edition of IYMS.
The 16th and second virtual International Youth Media Summit was held as a digital edition from July 22 to August 1, 2021. The official closing ceremony concluded the 11-day online program with over 80 filmmakers and diplomats from 19 countries. 7 short films were shown, each focusing on one of the world’s problems: Discrimination, Environment, Health, Poverty, Violence, Women’s Rights and Youth Empowerment. Through the power of audiovisual media, these films highlight only some segments of extremely layered social challenges and aim to raise awareness, educate and invite viewers to change.
A special project that IYMS has been implementing since 2020 was also presented: it is a SANATIONE web series that brings the stories of filmmakers around the world filmed in real time as the pandemic spreads around the world. 15 episodes have been filmed in the last year, and many others are still in the post-production phase.
The program was hosted live by the hosts and organizers of this year’s Summit: Antonio Britvar, Rebeka Čuljak and Ora Kovač with the technical support of Karlo Špoljar and the mentorship of Martina Kolarić, head of festival and educational programs at the CFA.
In the very introduction of the ceremony, they expressed their satisfaction and gratitude for the successfully held virtual event that was originally supposed to take place in a physical edition in Karlovac. The hosts of the next Summit have also been announced: Anna Eriksson from Region Halland invited all the delegates to the hybrid Summit in Falkenberg, Sweden with great excitement.
Birgitta Olsson, Chairperson of the IYMS Advisory Board, praised the efforts of this year’s delegates in particular: “The world needs people like you, people who not only have ideas, but are determined to implement them. Remember that you are important and that you are bringing changes to this world that no one else can. ”
As part of the Summit, five masterclasses were held in which experts in the field of film with young people studied various aspects of film as a medium and art. The film content is accompanied by diplomatic ones; 9 Croatian associations and organizations and 9 international partners held workshops through which they deeply researched the given world problem and thus educated young participants.
In the last 16 years, more than 1,500 delegates from nearly 70 countries have participated in IYMS programs. The main goal of this year’s Summit is especially emphasized by the topic; using the media to achieve real sustainable change in their own communities and around the world. To date, more than 150 short films have been made and screened at the United Nations, in classrooms around the world, on television programs, and on social networks and web platforms.
The Summit is supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the Croatian sponsors of this year’s edition are the Croatian Association of Technical Culture (HZTK), the Ministry of Science and Education and the Croatian Audiovisual Center (HAVC).
