World Summit Youth Award, or WSYA, is an international competition for youth-led projects that bridge the content gap in the emerging Information Society.
WSYA is the first global “youth for youth” initiative; promoting best practice in e-content and technological creativity and demonstrating young people’s potential to create digital opportunities. WSYA is not only a showcase to the world for young designers, technologists and e-content creators, it also contributes on a global scale to reducing poverty, protecting the environment, sharing knowledge and empowering marginalized young people.
Online projects may be submitted by all applicants less than 27 years of age in three e-Content categories:
1) Development: Rewards the best online platform for youth centred around issues of poverty reduction, environmental sustainability, social justice, health or peace
2) Creativity and Culture: Celebrates the most innovative online platform highlighting young people’s potential for producing creative content, promoting multilingualism, creating new contemporary forms of culture and preserving indigenous knowledge and/or traditional culture
3) Community Engagement: Showcases the most engaging online platform facilitating young people’s participation in global, national or local decision-making processes and sharing news/ideas to empower youth and build community
World Summit Youth Award finalists and category winners will be selected by members of the WSYA Jury. Composed of 8-12 global experts in youth engagement, new media and social entrepreneurship, their creative minds bring diversity of perspectives and know-how to the WSYA.
WSYA is organized within the framework of the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society in partnership with the WSIS Youth Caucus and the World Summit Award.
The winners of 2010 include websites like YouthKiAwaaz.com, Women's Forum, Social MDGs and more.