YouTube links with UN to foster liberal views
YouTube and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Asia and the Pacific on Friday hosted the second APAC Creators for Change summit in Bangkok.
The summit celebrated diverse creators across the region who are using the power of one view to open minds, inspire understanding, celebrate culture – and make a difference.
Following a series of kick-off boot camps across Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, a committee selected 15 regional “fellows” from these five countries, collectively representing an audience of over two million fans. Over the past two months, armed with production funding and opportunities to work with civil society organisations, these up-and-coming voices created more than 15 inspiring videos.
Additionally, YouTube’s Creators for Change ambassadors recently came together to release over 50 new films that aim to promote tolerance, encourage empathy, and spark dialogue, locally and globally.
At the summit, the video projects of ambassadors and fellows across APAC were officially premiered to an audience of policymakers, NGOs, and fellow creators who are passionate about driving positive change. Creators also had the opportunity to reflect on their learning journeys and cement established partnerships to combat misinformation, extremism and intolerance through a variety of approaches.
Simon Finley, regional conflict prevention adviser, said it was very encouraging to experience a group of such dynamic and creative young people collaborating with others – such as the UNDP, private sector companies like Google, and local NGOs – to produce positive messages advocating for peace. “Building networks and partnerships like the ones here is important to make sure that tomorrow’s world is a safer and more tolerant one,” said Finley.
Jake Lucchi, Google Asia Pacific’s head of content and AI for public policy, said that the tech giant is pleased to partner with UNDP on this important initiative. They are happy to see the power of online platforms like YouTube leveraged to promote positive social values and build a sense of community among people from diverse backgrounds, said Lucchi.