The European Commission has launched the European Music Contest calling young Europeans, between 15 and 25, to submit a song expressing support to the fight against poverty in the world. Each participant will create an original song on the general issue of development, and notably on the eight Millennium Development Goals

The winners - selected through online voting and a jury of music professionals – will get a professional studio recording of their song and will have the opportunity to perform during the European Development Days in December 2010 in Brussels. The music contest is part of the "I fight poverty campaign", dedicated to raise awareness among teenagers on the EU's action in the field of development cooperation.

Through networking sites and music festivals, youngsters from EU Member States between 15 and 25 are invited to submit, until 30 September, a song related to fighting poverty on the Internet. Participants will also express their support for one of the eight Millennium Development Goals: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger; Achieve Universal Primary Education; Promote Gender Equality; Reduce Child Mortality, Improve Maternal Health, Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases; Ensure Environmental Sustainability; Develop a Global Partnership for Development.

Voting will take place online until 31 October 2010. There will be two winners, whose names will be unveiled in November: one selected through online voting and another one by a professional jury. Up for grabs are a professional studio recording of the songs and the opportunity to perform during the European Development Days which will take place in December 2010 in Brussels.

The contest is organised in connection with the“I fight poverty” campaign which encourages teenagers to get involved in the fight against poverty. The campaign website also explains EU development policy and projects on issues from food security to conflict prevention. Last year, "Let's join together" the winning song by the Rome based group Ensemble pour la Paix, won the first edition of the contest.

With only five years left until the 2015 deadline to achieve the Millenium Development Goals, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on world leaders to attend a summit in New York on 20-22 September 2010 to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals.