June 3, 2005

TRAINING: "ONEMINUTE FOR MY RIGHTS" ToT WORSHOP IN THE CARIBBEAN

SOURCE: UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America & the Caribbean (TACRO)
 

?ONEMINUTE FOR MY RIGHTS? ToT WORSHOP IN THE CARIBBEAN

 

Paramaribo, Suriname May 30 to June 3, 2005

 

UNICEF and the Sandberg Institute, with the support of the Surinamese Academy of Arts and Higher Learning (AHKCO), sponsored a one week training of trainers workshop, tutoring a selected group of allies, on how to conduct oneminute video workshops for adolescents.

 

The original idea of oneminute videos came to life after two students from the Sandberg Institute asked their friends to turn a minute into ?oneminute for freedom? or ?oneminute for an idea of your own?. The result was a surprising though serious programme which became a monthly program on cable television, engaging participants and followers from around 40 European countries.

 

Then in 2001, ECF, UNICEF and the Sandberg Institute, successfully launched ?The Oneminutes Junior? for young people in Europe, this inspired the link to a Latin-American and Caribbean ?Oneminute for My Rights? initiative.

 

A group of people representing eight Caribbean countries were greeted by their Surinamese colleagues in Paramaribo, and together they met their two Dutch instructors from the Sandberg institute who volunteered their vast experience with ?Oneminute? and ?Oneminute Jr. in Europe?.

 

The instructors interacted with twenty talented young video professionals, including four XChange mentors, who with the support from the UNICEF Caribbean Country Offices helped build the foundations for the first ?Oneminute for My Rights? initiative in the region. After having traveled long hours to be in Paramaribo and despite the age differences ? from 19 years old to 30 years old -- the participants enthusiastically received important feedback from UNICEF about the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the reasons why we believe audio visual technology know how

is an important asset for the Caribbean and Latin American children.

 

The Adolescents? Declaration from the 4th World Summit on Media for Children and Adolescents concludes that it is important to discuss the democratization of production, the use of the media, and of information. This Declaration also states that ?instead of changing the media, it should be used to eradicate violence, poverty and to facilitate access to education?. ?Oneminute for My Rights? will empower adolescents to express themselves to a broader audience, and it will open spaces within their communities for a better and meaningful participation.

 

The group also had the opportunity to discuss the XChange Movement with some of the mentors from Guyana, Belize, Jamaica and Haiti. XChange was launched last March, 2005, in Trinidad for young Caribbean people to build their own new identity, a culture of peace, and learning. It is intended as an alternative to violence providing them with the necessary values and competences to promote a positive transition to adulthood.

With this in mind the participants toured the tropical city of Paramaribo, filming places and people who happily agreed to perform for their ?Oneminute for My Rights? videos. The workshop ended with a presentation of the first twenty Caribbean ?Oneminute for My Rights? videos to UNICEF Suriname?s counterparts, opinion leaders and other very important guests in a meaningful evening of camaraderie and plans for following up this valuable project.

 

Further information:

 

Robert Cohen
Regional Communication Officer
UNICEF TACRO
The Americas & Caribbean Regional Office
e-mail: rcohen@unicef.org
Direct Phone: (507) 315-7484
Fax: (507) 317-0258
Cellular: (507) 676-3216

 

 

_________________________________________
 
Chris Schuepp
Young People's Media Network - Coordinator
c/o ECMC (European Centre for Media Competence)
Bergstr. 8 / 10th floor
D-45770 Marl - Germany
 
Tel.: +49 2365 502480
Mobile: +49 176 23107083
Fax: +49 12126 23107083
Email: cschuepp@unicef.org
URL: www.unicef.org/magic
Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/youthful-media
 
The YPMN is supported by UNICEF and hosted by the ECMC.
 
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