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The forum is part of Tony Blair’s outreach to young people in advance
of the G8 Summit. It will air globally across MTV’s international
channels from Friday 1 July.
Bob Geldof, the leading force behind Saturday’s Live8 concerts,
will also participate in the programme alongside the studio audience.
Meanwhile artists including Destiny’s Child and Kanye West will
pose questions via videotape.
All Eyes On Tony Blair will take the form of a one hour
live question and answer session. It will give young people from
the UK and around the world an opportunity to ask the UK Prime Minister
searching and provocative questions on Africa and climate change.
Hosted by Trevor Nelson who is one of the UK’s most respected
youth presenters All Eyes On Tony Blair will also include
questions from young Africans filmed by MTV base, MTV’s recently
launched pan-African channel and MTV Networks’ flagship 100th channel
around the world. All Eyes On Tony Blair will be recorded
tomorrow 30 June.
MTV Networks vice chairman Bill Roedy said, “MTV has a long history
of giving audiences a direct dialogue with some of the world’s most
influential leaders. Young people in particular have the power to
help change the world, and it’s critical that they have the opportunity
to express their opinions on important issues that affect their
future.”
The 40-strong audience of young people wil represent 24 different
countries from all corners of the globe including India, UK, US,
France, Sweden, Russia, China, Korea, Canada, Uganda and South Africa.
The participants were selected via MTV International’s partnerships
with Unicef, the Department of Education and Skills and Virgin Unite
(Virgin’s independent charitable organisation). In addition, MTV’s
global audiences have had input into the key themes of the upcoming
forum via a web survey, hosted across MTV’s network of fully localised
international websites, which asks for their views on issues such
as the G8 Summit, Live8, poverty, Africa and climate change.
MTV states that it has a long history of giving young people a
platform to express their views on pro social issues, and regularly
offers its audiences opportunities for direct dialogue with world
leaders. In 2003 Blair took part in An MTV Forum With Tony Blair:
Is War The Answer?. During a debate with young people from across
the globe, he revealed he would be prepared to wage war on Iraq
without a second resolution authorising military action.
In the aftermath of the events of 9/11 in 2001, MTV US had hosted
a global discussion with US Secretary of State Colin Powell giving
young people from around the world the opportunity to ask questions
on the war on terrorism, HIV/AIDS and other issues affecting them.
In addition, MTV’s pro-social activities include MTV International’s
Staying Alive campaign which aims at increasing awareness and prevention
of HIV/Aids. Staying Alive’s next project is Transit.
This is a two- hour television film that uses fiction to deliver
HIV/Aids prevention messages to young people. MTV UK also offers
school children the opportunity to express their opinions and ideas
creatively via the Boom! Music Video Academy, a government-endorsed
project that enables students to create music videos as part of
the national curriculum.
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