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MTV LATIN AMERICA AND THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES ANNOUNCE THE RELEASE OF THE AGENTS OF CHANGE III SPECIAL PROGRAM
The 30-minutes special highlights the profiles of young innovators from Latin America
The release in MTV was on April 1, 2009,
in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Guatemala, y Argentina
Miami, Florida, 2009 – Continuing with its effort focused on the young people who are marking a difference in their communities, MTV Latin America, in cooperation with the Organization of American States (OAS), the Private Sector of the Americas, and the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), has released its third Agents of Change special. The program stresses the profiles of young innovators and is sponsored by Aeropuertos Argentina 2000.
This special, which was broadcasted on Wednesday April 1 on MTV, shows several Latin American teenagers in a 13,000 kilometers trip from the Central Mountain Range in Colombia to the Dead Sea in Israel. Along the way, these teenagers visit legendary universities in the United States. In addition, they show different ways in which they use their scientific knowledge to develop innovating technologies, such as new plant-based synthetic fibers and new water treatment methods. In turn, this helps support sustainable businesses and promote a positive change in Latin America and around the globe.
“MTV audiences are deeply involved in the problems that affect youth and their communities,” explained Mario Cáder-Frech, Vice-President of Public Affairs, and Corporate Social Responsibility for MTV Networks Latin America. “This is why we are proud of giving the Latin American youngsters a platform where they can take actions, share their enthusiasm, and stress these important causes, while also exchanging information.”
During the 30-minute special, this group of talented innovators under 18 years of age embarks the audience on a trip to discover the driving force behind their commitment with social and economic change through scientific creativity.
In the Park of Creativity in Manizales, Colombia, these young scientists experiment with the regional flora and fauna to combine materials obtained from plants with other substances, such as glass and carbon at the genetic and molecular level, to create new fibers. This new research field, known as synthetic biology, combines science and engineering in an effort to “synthesize” and rebuild different biologic systems and their functions.
The work of this group goes beyond mere laboratory essays. They also share their entrepreneurial view with many people around the globe. This effort includes university students in a science contest held in Boston and organized by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard, as well as peers of the same age in the Park of Creativity in Tel Aviv, Israel. In this specific case, experiments are carried out in the Dead Sea.
“In the OAS, we are very proud to cooperate with MTV in its effort to foster the development of a culture of creativity, invention, and innovation among youngsters," said José Miguel Insulza, OAS Secretary General. “Thus, we can encourage social stability, economic development, and competitiveness in the hemisphere through this active role of the young population.”
In 2008, “Youth” was the theme chosen for the General Assembly of the Organization of American States held in Medellin, Colombia. This partnership with MTV Agents of Change does not only mean advancing OAS commitment with youth across the Americas, but it also makes it clear that special programs like this one are encouraging the young populations to pursue economic development. Moreover, they are encouraging them to pursue a society featured by more freedom, democracy, and competitiveness.
“A valuable partnership for innovation and development appears when we join MTV power to show the young populations the entrepreneurship programs of the Young Americas Business Trust and the strength of the OAS Private Sector Forum,” said Roy Thomasson, Executive Director, Young Americas Business Trust.
“It is a partnership for the long term that should follow OAS priorities, which are intended to benefit the peoples, communities, and countries of the Americas for many years still to come.”
The following shows an exclusive sample of the first part of the Agents of Change III special program. Please bear in mind that this portion has not the final sound, graphics, script, data, nor music.
http://www.redtrainfilms.com/Clients/MTV/ADC/POC/ADCPOCSegment1-h264-800Kbps.mov
Agents of Change: In cooperation with IDB Youth, this initiative started with an invitation for the Latin American young people to share their stories of social change in their communities. Since its launch in October 2006, MTVLA has received more than seven thousand stories. Seven hundred stories have been published in our website www.MySpace.com/MTVAgentesDeCambio, and more than 30 have been released as MTV News Interviews. The MTV Latin American Awards 2007 was the venue chosen to present the first “Agents of Change” award to Juanes.
MTV Networks Latin America, Inc., a Division of Viacom International (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B), owns and operates MTV Latin America, Nickelodeon Latin America, Vh1 Latin America, Viacom Networks Brazil (that operates Nickelodeon and Vh1 Brazil) chains and MTV Networks digital channel, a three-digital service package - MTV Jams, MTV Hits, and Vh1 Soul. MTV, Vh1, and Nickelodeon versions in Spanish and Portuguese are seen in more than 20 countries across Latin America. MTV Networks Latin America also establishes interactive contact with its audience through its websites: MTVla.com, Mundonick.com, and Vh1la.com, and the pages for their broadband users and the community sites for musicians and music lovers: MTVRevolution.com, MundoNick.com/NickTurbo, and LaZona.com.
The Private Sector of the Americas is an Inter-American non-profit institution that gathers national and regional business entities and companies from the Private Sector to facilitate and promote the establishment of a formal and recognized dialogue with the Organization of American States (OAS) and, through it, with its Member States.
http://www.privatesectoramericas.org
The Organization of American States (OAS) brings together the nations of the Western Hemisphere to strengthen cooperation on democratic values, defend common interests, and debate the major issues that the region and the world are facing. The OAS is the region’s principal multilateral forum for strengthening democracy, promoting human rights, and confronting shared problems such as poverty, terrorism, illegal drugs, and corruption. It plays a leading role in carrying out mandates established by the hemisphere’s leaders through the Summit of the Americas process.
OAS – The Department of Commerce and Tourism (DCT) supports the efforts of OAS Member States to extend business opportunities, boost competitiveness, and encourage economic integration with a view to accomplishing enhanced and more sustainable economic growth and prosperity. This, in turn, will contribute to create jobs and mitigate poverty. Through the Department of Commerce and Tourism, OAS General Secretariat supports the efforts made by the business community to contribute its ideas and initiatives, which are intended to pursue economic growth, foster prosperity, and mitigate poverty in the Hemisphere. Moreover, they complement the actions adopted by OAS Member States and many development agencies.
The Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) is a non-profit organization. It supports the efforts of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) to promote the goals of the Summit of American Heads of State. It seeks to create job opportunities and address poverty through ventures for the young people. www.ybiz.net, www.youngamericasforum.com
Aeropuertos Argentina 2000 Sponsors this special as a partner of the Private Sector of the Americas. http://www.aa2000.com.ar
Park of Creativity is an international program (Colombia, Israel, South Africa, Ghana, United States) created and implemented by Dr. Raúl Cuero, PhD (first Afro-Colombian NASA researcher recognized last year by the OAS). It promotes creativity through the interaction of young people from different cultures with scientific mentors.
