Award Motivation
Eveline Herfkens
Michael Spindelegger
Ivo Ivanovski
Lynn St. Amour
Founder of the U.N. Millennium Campaign
Vice Chancellor, Foreign Minister Austria
Minister of Information Society and Administration, Republic of Macedonia
President & CEO, Internet Society (ISOC)
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Changes to the world are only sparked by individuals who develop and convey innovative and reforming ideas. These individuals leave an eternal mark in human society, as ones who significantly contributed to achieving what we have in the present. In today’s digital era, innovations gain different shape, yet they still serve the same purpose. If ICT is the current tool for change, and the youth represent a driving aspiration for new development, then it is our task to empower our new digital entrepreneurs as much as we can.
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Dialogue between youth and decision-makers and youth participation in decision-making at all levels need to be enhanced. Let’s keep in mind: Nothing about youth without youth! The MDGs are far from being achieved, young people are the most affected. Doors will be closed for a lifetime if there is no access to education, if young people live in an unhealthy environment, if their human rights and fundamental freedoms are not respected. With the help of modern communication technologies, the exchange of views and ideas among young people takes place at an unprecedented scale.
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The Internet Society congratulates the World Summit Youth Award program and this year’s exceptional winners who used their creativity and technical skills to make an impact on the world. The Internet truly is for everyone and provides a powerful platform that enables people to create, educate, innovate, and collaborate. We applaud the more than 1200 young producers, designers, and developers who participated in this year’s program.
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Young people were the favorite allies of the UN Millennium Campaign: passionate, energetic and thinking “outside the box”. Using internet and mobiles to achieve the MDGs was certainly beyond the frame of mind of government leaders who agreed to these Goals… Tomorrow’s world is defined by action today. So some 20 years from now, when your generation will provide the Secretary General of the UN, she does not need to report once again that the Millennium Goals have not been met as yet. Your action prevented these Goals to end up as litter on yet another boulevard of broken dreams…
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