Media center a steppingstone for Azerbaijan’s youth
Young people in Azerbaijan are struggling with high unemployment and poor education. The Azerbaijan Youth Media Center provides the opportunities many are seeking to launch their careers and improve society
“I don’t have any experience, and because I’m only 20 years old, no one will give me the experience required to find a job”, says Farida, who recently joined the IMS-supported Azerbaijan Youth Media Center (AYMC).
The Azerbaijan Youth Media Center opened in March 2012 supports the expressive use of innovative media tools by providing training and access to much-needed equipment and resources for the production and exhibition of video, audio and digital projects.
Creative collaboration
With more than 20 videos and close to 200,000 views on YouTube, Unlimited TV is one of the Youth Center’s most successful projects. 21-year-old Kamran, the co-founder and producer of Unlimited TV, says the center let him explore his talents for online TV production in collaboration with his peers.
The Youth Center’s creative and collaborative methods are also popular with 21-year-old Samira who says the informal spirit sparks new and creative ideas:
“I had been involved in other youth organisations before, but the formal relationships in these organisations prevented me from expressing my thoughts in a creative way. It is quite different at the Youth Center. Here everybody is chatting and smiling. We share and brainstorm ideas, and when we’re together we realise our ideas in a more active and creative way.”
A diverse set of ideas
Since its launch, the Youth Center has seen over 50 multimedia projects launched by ambitious youth, including everything from the current affairs magazine Sancaq Production, a series of cartoons by the young artist Gunduz, and the popular Unlimited TV.
The Azerbaijan Youth Media Center is open to young people between 18-28, and encourages them to express their diverse ideas through multimedia productions. Inspired by her idol Kurt Cobain of the American grunge rock band Nirvana, Samira’s friend Nisa says she attends the center because she wants to fight corruption:
“Corruption is one of the main reasons for many of the youth’s major problems like unemployment and poor education.
“I still remember the first day I came here. I was introduced to a number of talented, creative, positive and courageous youths. All of us have ideas, and when we collaborate, we can work to improve society. Joining the center was a big stride towards my goal of living in a society free from corruption”, Nisa says.
The Azerbaijan Youth Media Center was launched by the IMS-supported Institute for Reporters’ Freedom and Safety in March 2012. The center trains and mentors young people aged 18-28 in the skills needed in order to tell their stories through both mainstream and digital media.
