IYMS Needs Your Support-Help us Build Bridges to Africa!

“In times of crisis, the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers.

Now more than ever, the illusions of division threaten our very existence. We all know the truth; more connects us than separates us.”

King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman)

in the film, Black Panther.

Please join our new Special Ambassador to IYMS, Actor Denzel Whitaker (Young Zuri, Black Panther) in supporting our Bridges to Africa campaign.

This campaign will help bring 100 young people from around the world to the first IYMS Summit in Africa to meet the challenge: create films that will educate, unite and inspire others to become “bridge builders” for the future.

The 19th International Youth Media Summit - Zanzibar, Tanzania July 21 to August 5, 2024

IYMS creates a unique platform for young voices to be heard on critical issues. Previous Summits have produced success stories that highlight the power of media to change lives!

WHY THIS BRIDGE TO AFRICA IS NEEDED

2024 is the last year of the UN’s International Decade of People of African Descent.

Global efforts during this decade have sought to “underline the important contributions made by people of African descent to our societies, and propose concrete measures to promote their full inclusion, recognition, and development”.

With this campaign you can do two things:

1) Increase the number of young voices from the developing world at the Summit

2) Answer the UN’s call to recognize people of African descent

Honoring People of African Descent

On August 4th, 2024, the Old Fort in Stone Town, Zanzibar, will be filled with over a 1,000 people for Coming Home, a powerful event to highlight the substantial achievements by Black people in our societies around the world!

This is our contribution to this final year of the UN’s International Decade of People of African Descent.

Event Highlights:

We will start with a Tribute Video honoring prominent people of African heritage from around the world, be it writers like Maya Angelou or Zadie Smith, musicians like Bob Marley or Tina Turner, civil rights icons like Martin Luther King Jr. or Harriet Taubman scientists like NASA’s Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, filmmakers like Ryan Coogler and actors like Chadwick Boseman and Lupita Nyong'o...or luminaries like Debbie Allen who use their time and treasure to transform young people’s lives.

Heroes Among Us

Maybe you have a relative of African descent who has contributed to the good of their community; or perhaps you have a friend of African descent who has made a difference in your life; it can even be someone you don’t know, but you feel needs recognition! IYMS will elevate and honor them.

For every donation ($100 is suggested, but any amount accepted), you can submit the name of a person of African descent to be included in the Coming Home ceremony at the Summit. There, our African brothers and sisters will read the names of the heroes into the night sky over the beautiful island of Zanzibar; those so honored will receive a blessing from the elders and over a 1,000 people in the Old Fort will dance together in a song to welcome them home.

IYMS has accepted King T'Challa’s challenge; to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this earth, can find a way to look after one another as if we were one single tribe.

Please join us! Your donation of any amount is tax-deductible, making it a win-win situation for you and the future leaders of our world.

Asante sana,

The 2024 International Youth Media Summit Team

• To submit a name for the Coming Home Ceremony:

• Donate $100 (but any amount is accepted) for each person you wish to submit

• After you complete your donation; go to the receipt in your email;

Scroll down to: Increase your impact you still have a chance to show your support

Click on "Add a comment"

Type the name of the person, and a title you’d like read with their name (e.g. Mary Peterson, Dance Teacher Extraordinaire)

Then: SUBMIT

• After the Summit, we will email you a link to the videotape of the Coming Home Ceremony

Learn more about IYMS at www.iyms.org and get a sneak peek of the excitement in Africa here.