MTV and UNICEF Fight for Freedom

It’s often believed that young people have the power to advocate social change.

This was certainly the idea yesterday when MTV’s Freedom campaign – created by Y&R – launched last night at the end of the Europe Music Awards (EMA), held in Milan this year.

As Pharrell Williams closed the show with his chart-topping and appropriately named song Freedom, the camera cut to the Mediolanum Forum where thousands of fans held a 23x16m flag to represent unity (below).

Created by Hello Charlie, the bespoke banner featured flags from all the countries around the world.

The campaign couldn’t have come at a better time - as the refugee crisis continues and more than 640,000 people are currently seeking refuge in Europe, a third of which are children and women.

To tackle this growing figure and to make young people more aware of the situation, UNICEF - who have partnered with MTV on the campaign - have created a promo urging viewers to imagine a safe, utopian world with open borders and to look after refugee children especially (at top).

Those involved took to social media to share their support using #EMAfreedom and the message, ‘I am a citizen of Freedom’ to demonstrate their belief in positive change.

All proceeds raised will go towards UNICEF, which has teamed up with MTV to support refugees as they arrive.

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