YPM to observe international children day of broadcasting

The Young People in The Media (YPM) will on Sunday 7th March 2010 join other youth and media organisations around the world to observe International Children’s Day of Broadcasting (ICDB).

According to information reaching us from YPM, they would organise an inter-generational dialogue forum for parents, stakeholders, civil society, media practitioners and young people themselves to debate on the theme "All Rights All Children."

The forum to be held at the Unique FM grounds in Bakau would enable participants to talk about their hopes, dreams, fears and challenges they faced in life.

Today, media is one of the most widely recognised medium of reaching young people. 

Broadcasters have the responsibility to highlight issues that face children and to open young people's eyes to opportunities and rights that may not be known to them. 

The International Children's Day of Broadcasting (ICDB) was created to give exposure to the issue of children's rights. Over the years, it also has become a day of celebrating young people in the media.

The rights to participation and expression are an integral part of adolescent development. Broadcasters have the chance to empower young people by giving them media skills and putting their voices on the air.

This shows to other young people that they, too, can have a voice. It also shows the world what young people’s thoughts are about their lives and communities.

Broadcasters can create special programming for the day or package existing programming as a marathon ICDB event.

UNICEF as usual will award the International Children’s Day of Broadcasting Award to honour television and radio broadcasters who capture the spirit of the ICDB.  The submission process for entries will open directly following the ICDB in spring 2010.

Meanwhile, according to our UNICEF sources, the UN children body will offer regional awards to the broadcasters that best promote the principles, purpose, and main themes of ICDB. 

Each regional winner will be invited to New York in November 2010, and one television and one radio nominee will receive the prestigious International Children's Day of Broadcasting Awards.