UN Office in Armenia Marks International Youth Day Announcing Winners of Youth Video Festival

Yerevan, 12 August 2010 – The UN Office in Armenia together with its partners from the Government, civil society and media honored today the International Youth Day announcing the winners of the Youth Video Festival.                      

This year’s commemoration of International Youth Day also marks the launching of the International Year of Youth, under the theme “Dialogue and Mutual Understanding”. 

If youth are the society’s agents of change, volunteerism is the easiest and more inclusive, universal way how citizens contribute to the development. 

The Youth Video Festival honors Armenian youth engaged in volunteering action through their own inspiration. Short videos highlighting volunteerism in action were produced by Armenian individuals and organizations. All films were posted on-line for the public to select the best.  

Ara Meliqjanyan’s video was chosen by the audience as the winner of the Festival.  Within the category dedicated to organizations, the public selected the film shot by the local civil society organization “Agate”. 

Ara Meliqjanyan’s film was also selected by the jury, composed by Artak Aleksanyan from “Banadzev” company, Nune Sarkissian from “Internews” and Gor Baghdasaryan from the NGO “Manana”. 

The winners have been awarded by photo camera and mobile phone to support their further engagement into volunteerism. 

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his International Youth Day message said: “Today’s challenging social and economic environment warrant a special focus on youth. I am regularly inspired by the good will, talent and idealism of the young people I meet across the world. They are making important contributions to our work to eradicate poverty, contain the spread disease, combat climate change and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.”  

The awards ceremony was followed by a fair, where organizations active in volunteerism shared with the public their work. 

The festival and the exhibition were organized by the local civil society organization “Youth Initiative Centre” and financed by the United Nations Volunteer Programme of UNDP and the UN Department of Public Information Office in Armenia. The Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs and Center for Organizaiton of Youth Activities within the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs also supported the event.