Millions of young people each year are affected by wars and natural disasters.
Crucial as their stories are, most are never heard.
Will you listen?
COMING SOON!!!
YOUTH ZONES, a film and poetry initiative by Lisa Russell for UNFPA and the Women's Refugee Commission, gives a voice to young people from Lebanon, Liberia, Colombia, Northern Uganda and New Orleans who share stories of struggle and resilience in the face of conflicts and natural disasters.
In conflicts and natural disasters around the world, young people, at a crucial stage of their development, are faced with numerous challenges and difficulties. Emergencies often steal their adolescence and force them to undertake adult responsibilities. The structures and institutions that should guarantee their secure, peaceful development - schools, family, community and health centers - have often broken down, leaving them with little, if any, support. Access to basic sexual and reproductive health services, including information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV/AIDS, is often impossible.
Yet in the midst of these great difficulties, young people raise their younger siblings, form youth groups and organizations, put food on the table for their families, conduct peer education activities, contribute to peace movements, galvanize their communities and contribute in numerous other ways to positive changes.
Crucial as these stories are, most of them are never told.
YOUTH ZONES documents the voices of young people affected by conflict and natural disaster. Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Lisa Russell, accompanied by spoken word poet Luke Nephew and youth activist Chernor Bah, facilitated discussions and conducted creative writing and poetry workshops with youth from Liberia, Colombia, Lebanon, Northern Uganda and New Orleans, U.S. YOUTH ZONES profiles youth who work as educators, peace activists, healthcare assistants and drama mentors in an effort to rehabilitate their communities after emergencies.
YOUTH ZONES was produced by Lisa Russell of Governess Films in association with UNFPA and the Women's Refugee Commission.
In English, Spanish, Arabic, and Luo with English subtitles
Documentary | 25 min | Color
YOUTH ZONES premiered at the IAWG Conference in the Dominican Republic and has since screened at various events.
For more information about scheduling a screening, please contact Lisa Russell at lisa_governessfilms.com.
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September 25, 2010 VONY Speak Youth Media/Arts Conference, New York, NY
Screening followed by Q&A with filmmaker, Lisa Russell.
September 2, 2010 International Rescue Committee (IRC), New York, NY
Screening for brownbag session on Youth and the UN Convention on the Right of the Child followed by Q&A with UNFPA Representative, Cecile Mazzacurati and two young people from areas of conflict.
August 27, 2010 World Youth Conference, Leon, Mexico
Screening followed by Q&A with Chernor Bah and Wissam Samhat, two youth featured in the film.
August 12, 2010 UN General Assembly, New York, NY
Screening of Lebanon segment to launch the International Year of the Youth at the UN General Assembly. Introduced by Wissam Samhat, a youth featured in the film.
August 11, 2010 Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison, NJ
Screening followed by Q&A with WIssam Samhat, a youth featured in the film.
July 5, 2010 International House, Columbia University, New York, NY
Screening followed by Q&A with filmmaker, Lisa Russell and WIssam Samhat, a youth featured in the film.
June 19, 2010 Refuge in Films Film Festival, London, UK
Screening at film festival that is entirely curated by young people from areas of conflict.
June 14, 2010 Global Health Council Conference Film Series, Washington, DC
Screening followed by Q&A with filmmaker, Lisa Russell and performance by spoken word artist, Safia Elhillo.
June 6-9, 2010 Women Deliver Conference, Washington, DC
Screenings at the UNFPA booth and the Cinema Corner followed by Q&A with filmmaker, Lisa Russell and Wissam Samhat, a youth featured in the film.
May 25, 2010 IAWG Conference, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Screening followed by Q&A with UNFPA representative, Cecile Mazzacurati.
There are millions of young people around the world who have their own stories of overcoming hardships in areas of conflicts and natural disasters.
Whether you are a policymaker, a donor, a youth advocate or a viewer, there are numerous ways you can help.
Help share the voices of youth affected by emergencies by hosting a screening of YOUTH ZONES in your community. Contact us for a free copy of the film.
CALLS TO ACTION
Are you a policymaker, donor,
a youth advocate or a viewer.
Click below for some
ideas on how to help.
HOST A SCREENING
Are you interseted in sharing the film with others?
Click below for 10 steps to host a screening.
DONATE
Want to give?
Click below to help support UNFPA and the Women's Refugee Commission's youth initiatives.
How to Host a Film Screening
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FILM CREDITS
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/CAMERA/EDITOR
Lisa Russell
Governess Films
POETRY MENTOR
Luke Nephew
Urban Word NYC
WORKSHOP FACILITATOR/NARRATOR
Chernor Bah
CREATIVE TEAM
Cecile Mazzacurati
Jenny Perlman Robinson
Priya Marwah
Shogufa Alpar
Jennifer Kim
TRANSLATORS
Carla Daher
Ernesto Archila
Monique Naoum
ADDITIONAL EDITOR
Regi Allen
SOUND MIX
Neil Benezra
Brooklyn Sound Society
ADDITIONAL FOOTAGE
UNIFEED
UNFPA
MUSIC
"Way You Dream"
Performed by Michael Stipe and Asha Bhosle
Appears courtesy of
1 Giant Leap
"Wasuze Otya"
Performed by Samite
Samite
"Natures Cares"
Performed by Mama C
UAACC
"Second Avenue Sunset"
Performed by Paul Metsa
Paul Metsa
ADDITIONAL MUSIC
Michael Preis
Jay Hodgson
SPECIAL THANKS
UNFPA Humanitarian Response Branch
UNFPA Media Service Branch
UNFPA-Liberia
UNFPA-Colombia
UNFPA-Lebanon
UNFPA-Uganda
David Delvecchio
Emily Bishop
Ariel Higgins-Steele
Abigail Gacusana
Dale Buscher
Diana Quick
Unbound Philanthropy
Ada Williams Prince
Michelle Halsell
Eric Jensen
Lovisa Inserra
Hakkan Kihlberg
Anne Caterine Kihlberg
Nancy Russell
This film is dedicated to all the young people who participated in its making.
Copyright 2010 © UNFPA