The year 2009 was a terrific year for social change on YouTube thanks to the videos you created, which featured everything from unemployed porcupines to hospital workers shimmying in pink gloves. Some videos urged the community to donate through call-to-action overlays (upwards of $30,000 in one day!) while others "scared" citizens into doing good. It was a hard selection process, but here are the videos that surprised, moved, and inspired us most this year:
Last year, in honor of Peace Day - a United Nations-sanctioned day of global nonviolence and ceasefire held on September 21 - a nonprofit called Peace One Day helped persuade Taliban forces to lay down their arms for the day, making it possible for 1.6 million Afghani children to be immunized against polio.
This year, to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the effort to make peace a reality, YouTube is partnering with Peace One Day and actor Jude Law to spread the message of Peace Day to an even wider audience through the "My Take on Peace" contest. All you have to do to participate is upload a video to www.youtube.com/peaceoneday telling the world what you'll do to create peace on September 21. The winner will receive a new HD camera and participate in a workshop with award-winning filmmaker Jeremy Gilley. Find out more about the program from Jude Law, here:
You have already stood up for peace in a variety of different ways: by performing songs that entertain and inspire us, by making us laugh while making us think, and by creating homemade films that have mobilized thousands of others. Your actions don't need to be revolutionary, just heartfelt and creative. The deadline to submit your video is September 30, but entries submitted before September 21 will have the opportunity to be showcased on YouTube and in the annual Peace One Day Music Concert, which, last year, was viewed by a television audience of more than 250 million people.
Upload your video now to www.youtube.com/peaceoneday and show us how you're promoting peace and changing lives.
Today, Mashable released a list of its top 10 YouTube videos that promote social good. Among others, they include the Vlogbrothers' awesome launch video for the YouTube Video Volunteers program, the charity:water video that raised over $10,000 using YouTube's "Call-to-Action" feature, and the adorable PSA that helped restore funding to the Bronx Zoo.
Still want more? You may want to take a look at these other social change gems:
Information about the Universal Declaration of Human Rights set to a fierce beat.
This Psycho spoof from Good Magazine shows that life without clean water is a very scary prospect.
This video, which has received 2 million views, introduces viewers to the macropinna microstoma, a deep-sea fish with a transparent head and tubular eyes.
Shawn Ahmed aka UnCultured Project provides aid to the children of Bangladesh through his riveting YouTube channel. To find a monthly list of the best social change videos on YouTube, check out the AgentChange channel.
Have you ever wondered how to build a movement using social media? How to stage a nonviolent protest? How to create a smart mob (or wondered what a smart mob is)?
You're in luck. Howcast, one of YouTube's most popular how-to channels, has released a series of engaging how-to videos that concentrate on using technology to movement-build and create social change:
Howcast created the videos in conjunction with the first-ever Alliance of Youth Movements Summit where social media experts and delegates from 17 international youth organizations met in New York City to discuss how young people can leverage social media and technology to end violence, oppression and human rights abuses around the world.
Would you drink a glass of filthy water? That's the question YouTube user ijustine is asking in an effort to raise money for YouTube nonprofit partner charity:water:
Now ijustine is trying to create a viral awareness storm about the need for increased access to safe drinking water in developing countries by asking YouTube users to make videos in which they too hold up a glass of dirty water.
She's succeeding -- in the past two days, 98 people have uploaded response videos.
She'll be mashing up the best response videos and playing them at the first-ever Twestival, a Twitter-organized charity event that will take place in over 185 cities to raise money for charity:water. To find a Twestival near you, you can visit www.twestival.com.
CitizenTube is YouTube's News and Politics Blog. Here you'll find important breaking news videos from citizens; developing trends in the use of YouTube by news organizations, activists, politicians, and governments; and lots of other YouTube goodness. Hit us up on Twitter, @citizentube, if you see something worth posting here.