Observance of International Day for Tolerance to Spotlight How Videos Bring People Together, at United Nations Headquarters, 16 November

The United Nations Department of Public Information will host an educational event on the International Day of Tolerance, which will feature the 2018 YouTube Creators for Change programme, on Friday, 16 November, in the Economic and Social Council Chamber.

Beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m., the event will include a screening of international short films from four inspirational creators who use YouTube’s global reach to change conversations around tough issues and make a truly positive impact on the world.  From combating hate speech, to countering xenophobia and extremism, to making the case for greater tolerance and empathy toward others, these creators, from four different continents, are helping generate positive social change among their global fan bases.  At a time when the Internet is criticized for fuelling division and distrust, this event will demonstrate how it can be used to bring people together.

During the event, which is organized by the Department’s Education Outreach Section, selected students from the ages of 15 to 24 will present their own videos or outlines of videos, which will be linked to the seventieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals.  There will also be a live performance by an additional creator, Australian hip-hop artist L-FRESH The LION.  All five YouTube creators, as well as Kimberly Mann, Chief of the Education Outreach Section, and Craig Mokhiber, Director, New York Office, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, will participate in a panel discussion with the student audience.

The event will be webcast live at webtv.un.org.  For social media messaging, please use:  #ToleranceDay #CreatorsforChange.

To learn more about the International Day for Tolerance, please visit:  www.un.org/en/events/toleranceday/.

For more information on the event, please contact Brenden Varma, Public Information Officer, United Nations, at tel.:  +1 212 963 7238, or email:  varmab@un.org.

For more information on the YouTube Creators for Change programme, please contact press@google.com.