MTV today announced that Justin Bieber and the Northern Ireland Youth Forum will be honored with the first-ever MTV Voices Awards at a special event during the “2011 MTV EMA” weekend in Belfast.
MTV Voices is MTV’s new pro-social platform, a unique online space launching Saturday, 5th November that highlights socially positive and inspirational content produced by a select team of global correspondents, international and local music artists and MTV’s audience.
As the first artist to ever receive the MTV Voices Award, Bieber will be recognized for his ambitious launch of the Believe Charity Drive that aims to rally his fans to help raise millions of dollars for 20 charities around the world. Bieber has chosen these organizations for their emphases on education, youth well-being and music. In addition to his work with the Believe Charity Drive, Bieber has been extremely involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Pencils of Promise, which helps build schools for children without access to education.
Each year at the MTV EMA, MTV will also recognize a local organization from the show’s host city whose mission reflects the spirit of MTV Voices. This year’s recipient will be the Northern Ireland Youth Forum (NIYF), a youth-led organization that exists to inspire and enable young people to actively shape and influence the issues that affect them. Through various events, online forums, training schemes and lobby groups, NIYF aims to build confidence amongst their peers and mobilize them to use their voices in response to social issues and political decisions. In addition to the award, NIYF will also receive a new Hyundai Veloster sports coupe – the “official wheels” of the 2011 MTV EMA – to help NIYF with their outreach to young people.
“MTV Voices is a compelling new platform where our audience can share its voice and its talent with us; where music artists can reveal the inspiration behind the themes in their work; and where all of us can dig deeper into issues like bullying, self-confidence or body image that are explored by MTV shows,” said Georgia Arnold, Senior Vice President, Social Responsibility, Viacom International Media Networks. “Most of all, MTV Voices aims to give people new opportunities to engage, connect and inspire each other – to start conversations and change perspectives that move us all in a more positive direction.”
The NIYF commented: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this award. It is extremely humbling that MTV wants to recognise our work. We would like to dedicate the award to each and every one of the thousands of young people we work with — locally, nationally and internationally. We hope that this award helps us to continue to build belief and hope that young people really can make a difference.”
