Youth-Created 360° Films at the United Nations General Assembly
*contributors blog by Digital Promise
Today, leading up to the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, we’re thrilled to announce the third MY World 360° playlist — a collection of youth-produced immersive stories from around the world that spotlight issues most relevant to young people and their communities.
MY World 360°, a partnership between the United Nations SDG Action Campaign, Digital Promise Global, and Oculus, supports young people worldwide to develop their digital skills, share their perspectives, and advance positive action toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Young 360° film creators from 24 countries submitted 76 media projects for consideration for the third MY World 360º playlist. The collection includes youth voices from Argentina, Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Uganda, and the United States, with a focus on Climate Action and Reducing Inequalities. The stories allow viewers to examine issues of climate and inequality in settings that range from the Amazon rainforest to the largest dumpsite in Eastern Africa, to the bustling Sham Shui Po neighborhood in Hong Kong.
Their immersive stories will be screened at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on September 24 and 25, days on which heads of state and government from around the world will gather to comprehensively review progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs. The event is the first UN summit on the SDGs since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda in September 2015.
Watch the MY World 360º stories below and explore how immersive storytelling can inspire action to build a better world for everyone. The next MY World 360° call for submissions will open in early 2020. Head to www.myworld360.org for more information.
Cipó de Jabuti — Amazon Riverine Stories
A virtual reality mini-documentary filmed entirely in the Amazon rainforest.
Site/Location: Global Shapers Community, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Youth Producers: Odenilze Ramos (22), Rafael Bittencourt (21), and Guilherme Novak (24)
Related SDGs: SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 13 Climate Action
The reason why we’ve made Cipó de Jabuti is to show this populated Amazon to the world. This Amazon that is more perceptible when you are here. It’s a sustainable Amazon where people work together with the forest and develop solutions to keep living sustainably as they’ve always lived.
-Odenilze Ramos, Filmmaker, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Tu Prejuicio, Mi Identidad (Your Prejudice, My Identity)
A video showing how the gaze or opinion of others can make individuals feel oppressed and judged for their gender or identity.
Site/Location: Fundación Puerta 18, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Youth Producers: Brenda B. (13), Ignacio M. (21), Yazmin B. (17), Gianluca B. (16), Jeremy S. (14), Manuel Jesus S. (20), Rocío T. (18), Marcos T. (15), Ezequiel H. (19), Álvaro C (14), Ulises R. (18), Iván L. (17), Renata Z. (13), Stephanie I. (19), and Guido Q. (14)
Mentor: Nicolás Garbarz
Related SDGs: SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 5 Gender Equality
(ES)Nosotros somos del equipo contra el prejuicio ambiental y elegimos este tema porque nos parecía muy importante visualizar acciones que han estado muy amenizadas. Bueno, lo hicimos justamente en este momento histórico y cultural de Argentina, y de algunas otras partes del mundo, para visualizar los distintos roles que pueden ser actuados por las personas. Nosotros también, con este corto, invitamos al espectador a que reflexione e intente empatizar con el tema, aunque no lo haya vivido de una primera persona.
We are part of the team against environmental prejudice and we chose this topic because it seemed very important for us to visualize actions that have been occurring quite frequently. We did it exactly at this historical and cultural moment in Argentina, and other parts of the world, in order to visualize the different roles that people can take. With this short, we invite the spectator to reflect and try to empathize with the topic even though they may have not experienced something like this directly.
-Ulises Romano, Marcos Tobio, and Iván López, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Diversity in Sham Shui Po
A portrait of Hong Kong’s Sham Shui Po district, where diversity thrives.
Site/Location: University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Youth Producers: Fung Gabriel (19), Tang Wai Yin Antonia (20), Lam Tse Tin (22), Zheng Wei (21), Liu Leran (20), Ma Guolei (23)
Related SDGs: SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Sham Shui Po is one of Hong Kong’s densest districts. And, it is its poorest. Yet it is at the core of the city’s thriving diversity…In this video, we interviewed residents, workers, and ethnic minorities and asked them about their relationship to the area. Despite their hardships, they have all persevered…We hope that through this video people will develop a newfound sense of appreciation and admiration for the district and come to realize that it should be preserved.
-Fung Gabriel and Tang Wai Yin Antonia, Hong Kong
The Forgotten Ones
An immersive narrative that places viewers into the largest dumpsite in Eastern Africa, told from the perspective of the dumpsite itself.
Site/Location: BlackRhinoVR, Nairobi, Kenya
Youth Producer: Charles Muchiri (22)
Related SDGs: SDG 1 No Poverty, SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
The Forgotten Ones is a global call to action against environmental degradation. For instance, Kenya has less than 10 percent forest cover. That means our day-to-day lives are damaging the environment. The journey through the dumpsite helps bring people to their own reality. Our goal is to spark a conversation about land restoration among policy makers and governments to come up with innovative and sustainable ways of recycling and land management, and to fully immerse viewers into the reality of what is happening here in Kenya.
-Charles Muchiri, Nairobi, Kenya
Decolonize Your Eyes
Through the perspective of one of its residents, the filmmakers seek to decolonize narratives about the favela and communities of Rio de Janeiro.
Site/Location: GatoMÍDIA, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Youth Creators: Andressa Santos (20), Nicole Pereira (22)
Mentors: George Ferreira; Raull Santigo; Marcela Lisboa; Leonardo Souza; Jonathan Thomaz; João Araió; Thamyra Thâmara
Related SDGs: SDG 1 No Poverty, SDG 4 Quality Education, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
The Farm Cops — For a Hunger Free Society
A profile of activities at a school farm aimed at equipping students to be farming ambassadors who can bring lifelong skills to their own communities.
Site/Location: Gayaza High School, Kampala, Uganda
Youth Producers: Katriana A. (15), Mitchelle M. (15), Mildred M. (16), Sarah N. (17), and Rebecca M. (17)
Mentor: Theode Niyirinda
Related SDGs: SDG 1 No Poverty, SDG 2 Zero Hunger, SDG 5 Gender Equality, SDG 7 Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 13 Climate Action
Around the Same Table
A story about the importance of sustainable farming and the community it brings together.
Site/Location: Cedar Ridge High School, North Carolina, United States
Youth Producers: Justus A. (17) and Charles B. (17)
Mentors: Andrea DeGette and Alexis Barnes
Related SDGs: SDG 2 Zero Hunger, SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production
With climate change on the brink, we need to really focus on sustainability — everyone from the farmer to the consumer, because for the farmer, it makes his life easier, and for the consumer because they know it’s coming from a well balanced farm.
- Justus A. and Charles B., North Carolina, United States
Break the Bias
A story about the impact of gender biases children face throughout their lives.
Site/Location: iEARN-India, Pune, India
Youth Creators: Anish P. (18), Mihir P. (17), Sakshi G. (17), Avani K. (16), Radhika K. (18), Sukhada B. (17), Chinmay M. (18), Sachi L. (16), Ketaki P. (16), Omkar J. (17), and Rohan D. (15)
Mentors: Sunita Bhagwat and Mrunal Potnis
Related SDGs: SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 5 Gender Equality
We chose this topic because we wanted to show that gender discrimination is not always intentional. Even the most valued people can do it without even knowing about it. Gender discrimination occurs at a subconsious level and it may be due to the way people are raised or conditioned to think. We want people to think about their subconscious thoughts and how they affect society.
-Anish P, Mihir P and Sakshi, Pune, India
Ribeirinhos — The Struggle of a People
Students document the daily struggles faced by people living on the river banks across from Breves, Brazil.
Site/Location: High School Maria Elizete Fona Nunes, Breves, Brazil, in partnership with Recode
Youth Creators: Breno Amaral (20), Divany Guimarães (20), Gleice Clara (19), Wesley Pinheiro (18)
Mentor: Marcos Paulo de Oliveira Barros
Related SDGs: SDG 1 No Poverty, SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 4 Quality Education, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
