Music and Youth
MTV Asia declares 1 August as ‘Asian Youth Day’
MUMBAI: It may primarily be a music channel but MTV is getting serious about its social image as well.
On Thursday, MTV declared 1 August as Asian Youth Day, an initiative between the channel, UNICEF and Levis that evolved from the Speak Your Mind campaign. The campaign, held recently, drew more than 22,000 entries from the region and encouraged youth to voice their concerns on issues affecting society and how they could improve the state of the world.
On the heels of the presentation of the Asian Youth Charter to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York, the plaque journeyed with the agenda of the youth to Singapore where 16 year old Natalya Ann Twohill presented the Charter to President SR Nathan. Thailand’s representative Ingrid Tharasook also presented the charter to a government official, according to an official release. After interactions with Colin Powell and the recently held Forum on HIV with former US president Bill Clinton participating, this is MTV’s latest initiative to involve youth with the day’s pressing issues.
In India, Jinen Thakkar spoke in Bangalore yesterday to media representatives about his experiences in New York. “We came here to the UN in New York and spoke our minds. But now it is time for action. The first step has been taken with this campaign in New York with meeting Kofi Annan and Nelson Mandela. We should now be ambassadors for the UN in our own countries.
” Programming on MTV Asia took on a new facet on Thursday as the camera turned on youths on the streets. Young people spotted by MTV’s camera crew introduced music videos that reflect the youth day theme. Viewers got to watch Speak Your Mind documentaries featuring Ronan Keating in Thailand, Wang Lee Hom and Manisha Koirala in Nepal and Regine Valesquez in the Philippines. These reality-based documentaries focus on issues raised by youths – HIV/Aids; child prostitution; education and poverty. The New York special featuring the 12 Speak Your Mind winners presenting the Asian Youth Charter to United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan was also aired during the day.
MUMBAI: Mumbai is about to witness something it has never seen before. The Global Youth Festival arrives on 6-7 December at Jio World Garden with 15,000 attendees and 60-plus experiences sprawled across six sprawling arenas. On its sixth edition, this is no ordinary jamboree—it is a carefully orchestrated collision of wellness, adventure, arts, music, yoga and social change.
Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis will throw open the proceedings with a landmark ceremony, signalling the state’s backing for a movement that has already mobilised youth across 20-plus countries and 170-plus cities. The sheer scale is staggering: 500-plus volunteers powering the machine, 600,000-plus volunteer hours logged across previous editions, and millions of lives touched annually.
The speaker roster is formidable. Diipa Büller-Khosla and Dipali Goenka, chief executive of Welspun India, will share the stage with Malaika Arora in conversations spanning leadership, creativity and culture. Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Mansukhbhai Mandaviya will also attend, reinforcing GYF’s reach into the corridors of power.
But this is not mere talk. The Solaris Mainstage promises concerts from renowned Indian artists. Innerverse delivers a 360-degree LED spectacle of art, technology and sound. The Love and Care Arena houses hands-on projects spanning women’s empowerment, child education, rural upliftment and animal welfare. India’s largest outdoor sound-healing experience awaits. An inflatable obstacle course, neon drifter karts and open-sky bouldering cater to thrill-seekers.
Some have branded GYF the “Coachella of Consciousness.” Others call it “India’s Largest Sober Festival.” Spiritual visionary Pujya Gurudevshri Rakeshji, who inspired the festival, will deliver the Wisdom Masterclass. Every rupee goes to charity.
After Mumbai comes Kolkata on 14 December. New York looms next year. For one weekend in December, Mumbai becomes the epicentre of youth-driven change—and nothing will be quite the same after.
Tickets available on BookMyShow. Visit youthfestival.srmd.org or follow @globalyouthfestival on Instagram.
