CONTEXT

Youth under 30 are a majority of the world's population. As leading creators and adopters of new technologies, young people are playing a critical role in a global information society. While the media bombards us with images of youth as apathetic, distrustful and angry, there is another world of youth - one with technological expertise, dynamic energy and innovation. Just look around you at the leading web developers, new economy business leaders, mobile technology users and Internet professionals and teachers. Youth is where IT is at.

MISSION

The World Summit Youth Award (WSYA) mission is to empower youth by creating digital opportunity. In spite of their technological expertise, young people remain marginalized, unemployed and lacking voice in the decisions that affect them each day. We believe that if youth are given a space to showcase their skills, ideas and projects, they will be empowered as agents for social change and creativity. In addition, the networking and skill-sharing between award winners and WSIS delegates can open new doors to the information society.

WSYA is an international competition for youth-led projects that encourage the active participation of young people in the emerging Information Society. It is the first global “youth for youth” initiative for selecting and promoting best practice in e-content and technological creativity, demonstrating young people’s potential to create digital opportunities. WSYA is not only a showcase to the world for young designers, technologists and e-content creators, it also contributes on a global scale to reducing poverty, protecting the environment, sharing knowledge and empowering marginalized youth groups. The WSYA Categories are Development, Creativity & Culture, and Community Engagement.

WSYA is organized within the framework of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society in partnership with the WSIS Youth Caucus. The WSYA is held under the patronage of Vivienne Reding, European Commissioner for the Information Society and Media. Sponsors of the WSYA include Internet Society (ISOC), Logitech and Siemens AG. The WSYA Coordination Team is based at the International Centre for New Media (ICNM), an independent non-profit organisation based in Salzburg, Austria (www.icnm.net).

GOALS

The goals of the World Summit Youth Award are:

• To identify, document and showcase best-practice youth-led e-content initiatives.
• To realize young people’s potential as content creators and development actors in their communities.
• To promote learning and skill-sharing from and between the selected projects.