DOHA: The third Ajyal Youth Film Festival has launched five projects under Planet-Y initiative to address challenges youth face such as conflicts, economic inequality and physical or mental challenges which limit their involvement in film and other cultural pursuits.
The projects include One Platform Many Voices – the Planet-Y Video Channel, a speciality media channel by and for youth; The Magic Box – An Educational Radio Station for Syrian Children; Content is King – a Youth Production Programme; Nomadic – a Festival Cooperation and Exchange Programme; and Film Fun in Bed – a Hospital Outreach Programme.
The roll-out of the projects was held at this year’s Doha Giffoni Youth Media Summit which also saw discussions on ‘Neuro-Communication – How to speak the language of the brain’; and ‘The Digital World – how to speak the language of youth’.
Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO, Doha Film Institute, and Festival Director, said: “Planet-Y emerged from the need to identify a collective, industry-wide strategy to tackle challenges in the media sphere. Through our workshops, we aimed to combine the experiences and wisdom of summit participants to create concrete takeaways and action plans. Deliberations of Planet-Y have the power to shape the lives of children and our own. Because in helping others we make our own lives meaningful.”
The summit aims to make Planet-Y projects beneficial for youth, said Al Remaihi. “We will follow up on each project and keep them growing. Next July at Giffoni, we will report on progress made. Many of these projects will take time, but I see collaborations coming out of the summit now as a victory for Planet-Y.”
Claudio Gubitosi, Director and Founder, Giffoni Experience, said young people are the first victims of conflict, and through Planet-Y, the creative community is taking tangible action to address problems faced by youth globally.
The summit also discussed challenges faced by ‘Children in Conflict Areas,’ and how they can be empowered to share their stories. “‘Children in Conflict Areas’ stressed giving voice to less fortunate youth. We want to focus on ways of including children unable to attend events such as Ajyal because of conflicts, economic inequality, or physical and mental challenges. In the context of the global refugee crisis, now, more than ever, it is time for inclusivity,” said Al Remaihi.
The discussion was an emotional experience for participants with heart-touching visuals and stories of the Syrian refugee crisis taking centre stage.
The Peninsula
