International Youth Media Summit (IYSM): Building Bridges across Culture!

The world strongly needs accelerating efforts, to advance gender equality, and social justice, and to limit climate disasters. The world now is a global village and the advancement of technology helps us connect with it. If there was any need for cross-cultural, cross-border collaborations between likeminded youth and changemakers, this is the time! And IYMS has already started its mission towards it.

What is International Youth Media Summit?

International Youth Media Summit (IYMS) is an annual 2-week event which brings together young filmmakers, storytellers and social activists from around the world and empower them to create impactful stories that shine a light on urgent global social issues. Their films and media projects inspire change and celebrate the best of humanity. IYMS was founded in 2006 to bridge the gap between borders, enabling, understanding and tolerance to replace fear and hatred. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are the foundations of IYMS. IYMS works hover around seven global issues: discrimination, environment, health, poverty, violence, women’s rights, and youth empowerment.

Every year at the Summit, each delegate shares insights from their homeland about the impact of the social issue they chose. They discuss possible solutions and together come up with a story that incorporates the problem and a solution. Using their unique skills, each delegate becomes a respected part of a film crew. The short production schedule helps bond them; understand their cultural differences and help each other for their success at the Summit.

Group photo IYMS delegates. Credit: IYMS

Read more about IYMS history and the previous Summits: https://iyms.org/organization/

The 18^th International Youth Media Summit in Wisconsin, USA.

After a successful Summit in Sweden last year, IYMS is organizing its 18^th Summit at the University of Wisconsin in La Crosse. With the theme ‘A Fearless Future: Advancing Boldly in the Face of Uncertainty’. IYMS this year is expected to bring 100 change makers from more than 30 countries. The Summit runs from July 24^th to August 6^th, 2023, and offers many exciting activities including film production, social excursion, delegate presentations and master classes.

Some of the key highlights of the Summit this year are the presentations by Iranian scholars and filmmakers who shed light on what is happening in their country. Delegates from Afghanistan who made it safely out of Kabul will give their first-person accounts of fleeing with their families and what life is like as refugees.

In addition, a documentary film about the SANATIONE documentary series initiated by IYMS after the Covid-19 pandemic will highlight the people who created the series and show scenes of La Crosse citizens, meeting with their global partners from 22 countries for the first time. In the documentary film, La Crosse will shine as a global hub for collaboration and cooperation.

Group photo IYMS delegates. Credit: IYMS

Know more about the 18^th Summit: https://iyms.org/18th-iyms/

What can you learn from the Summit?

The Summit is a creative place where you will learn basic and advanced filmmaking and storytelling. You will learn how to make your message strong and powerful and how to tell a story in an effective way by making a short film with a strong message. The filmmaking aspect will be combined with an awareness of the above mentioned 7 Issues.

IYMS is also a platform where you will find friends and partners across the globe to collaborate with, sharing your experiences and skills. It is a place for joy and commitment together with so many changemakers from around the globe. After the Summit, you will go back home and have new tools for your daily life as a changemaker. And you will have a great worldwide network to communicate and work with!

Filming project at IYMS. Credit: IYSM

How to participate in the Summit?

The 2023 Summit application closed on 28^th of February. However, if you are interested to join the future IYMS Summits. The Summit welcomes delegates in each of three categories:
- Filmmakers (16-26 years): have experience creating videos, animations or films and are eager to work with others who share the same passion.
- Diplomats (16-26 years): are a journalist, activist, writer or diplomat-in-training. Love researching the issues and articulating positions for positive action.
- Advisors (26 years and older): Serve the youth in the issue groups in a variety of ways, depending on their area of expertise. Advisors are skilled at being able to listen, understand and let youth take the lead. They make their first priority the safety and success of their young delegates.