Press release – Rio+20 GYMC in New Zealand

Press release

Rio+20 Global Youth Music Contest launches in New Zealand! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday 02 January 2012. New Zealand youth could win this once in a lifetime opportunity! The Rio+20 Global Youth Music Contest is a global competition for young people organised by the International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges (IAAI) with a wide number of partners and youth networks on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 Earth Summit) to be held in June 2012 in Brazil. This opportunity encourages youth to express their hopes, concerns and thoughts on the future of our earth through the resonance of music as a powerful expression that incites commitment for sustainable development. The contest will collect musical messages from global youth exploring global solutions for sustainable development and the winners will win a trip to Rio de Janeiro to attend the Rio+20 Earth Summit in June 2012 and make the voices of global youth heard through their music. Simon Matāfai of Auckland has been selected as the New Zealand National Coordinator. Simon was the first Pacific Youth Delegate to have represented New Zealand at the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York; and recently at the United Nations COP 17 Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa. Simon directs the Matāfai School of Music, various community choirs and was one of the conductors for the 2011 Rugby World Cup Opening Ceremony. He is a University of Auckland law, history and music student. Entries can be submitted now until 18 March 2012. From 19 March 2012 until 19 May 2012 users will get the opportunity to vote for their favorite music performances. By 19 May 2012; the winners for each of the two categories (below 15 years of age and 15 to 30 years of age) will be announced.

For further information: Email: simonmatafai@gmail.com [NZ Coordinator]

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