Annual Report 2003 - Modern Times Group MTG AB

modern responsibility
4
Modern Responsibility
Part of MTG’s commitment to its customers including advertisers,
subscribers, viewers, and listeners in countries around the
world is an ambition to invest back into the communities that
they live in. MTG has therefore been involved in a number of
initiatives and programmes over the past few years with this objective
in mind.
The various efforts of local MTG operations around the world
have found a uniting purpose in ‘The Glocal Forum’. The Glocal
Forum was established as a non-profit organization in 2001 by
MTG’s founder and former Chairman Jan Stenbeck and Uriel Savir,
President of the Peres Centre for Peace and Chief Negotiator of the
Oslo Peace Accords. MTG is one of the key sponsors of the Forum,
along with Tele2, Millicom International Cellular and Metro
International.
The work of the Forum focuses on maximizing the benefits of
glocalization, which is the process whereby economies, societies,
cultures and governments are becoming part of global networks
but retain their particular local identities and challenges.
Glocalization is especially evident in the world’s
cities – densely populated urban environments
where wealth and poverty co-exist in close proximity.
The Forum is both an agent of, as well
as a catalyst for change, acting as an intermediary
with a number of leading organizations
in the world including The United Nations
and The World Bank.
The Glocal Forum
was established as a
non-profit organization
in 2001 by MTG’s
founder and former
Chairman Jan Stenbeck
and Uriel Savir
The Forum held its inaugural ‘Glocalization
Conference’ in Rome in May 2002, which drew
mayors together from 50 cities around the world. The
conference provided a forum to discuss the future of the
world’s urban populations, to establish a global network of local
leaders and citizens and to launch a series of initiatives encouraging
sustainable development.
One of these initiatives is the establishment of ‘The Glocal Youth
Parliament’, which is a body of 90 young representatives from over
45 cities around the world. The Parliament is developing an urban
agenda for 2020 and lobbying for this agenda both locally and globally.
By connecting these local initiatives into a global network,
such bodies can begin to effect change across the world through the
sharing of ideas and resources.
The conference culminated in the ‘Time for Life’ concert, which
was the first event to be held in Rome’s historic Colosseum since
the year 404 AD. The concert included Ray Charles, Nicola Piovani,
Carola Häggkvist and many others. Coverage of the concert was
aired in 11 countries around the world. The 2004 ‘We Are The
Future’ conference and concert takes place in May and MTG is
again heavily involved in the planning to promote and broadcast
the event.
The Glocal Forum has also forged a partnership with the world
famous music producer Quincy Jones and his ‘Listen Up
Foundation’ and The World Bank, in order to establish ‘We Are
The Future’ centers for childcare in conflict and post-conflict areas
around the world. The first centers are being set up in Kigali, Addis
Ababa, Asmara, Freetown, Kabul, Nablus and Rishon Le-Zion and
will focus on providing for the nutrition, health and education related
needs of children in each city.
MTG’s other activities in the field of corporate and social responsibility
include the annual ‘Song for the Homeless’ concert, which
has been held in Stockholm every December for the last
seven years. Famous local bands perform live at the
event, which is arranged in cooperation with the
‘Stockholms Stadsmission’ charity. Ticket sales
are donated in full to provide shelter for the
homeless, and advertisements on MTG’s
Viasat channels encourage the viewing public
to make contributions.
MTG’s channels regularly cooperate on the
dedication of TV and radio airtime to promote
the work of, and appeal for contributions to organizations
including the BRIS Children’s Charity, the
World Childhood Foundation, Friends, UNICEF,
Nattravene, Kirkens Nødhjelp, MS Forbundet,
Nasjonalføreningen for Folkehelsen, Norges Handicapførbund,
Redd Barna, Røde Kors, Reklame for alvor, Population Services
International and Children of the World. TV3 Estonia was awarded
the 2003 annual UNICEF Bluebird Award for its coverage of
UNICEF events and promotion of the organization’s activities over
the past few years.
TV3 Lithuania originated and managed a special campaign at the
end of 2003 to help the 4,000 children living in 58 orphanages across
Lithuania. Nomeda – the famous host of Lithuania’s most popular
daily talk show – led the campaign as a parent who had adopted an
orphaned child herself and was supported by leading public figures.