Twestival is Underway Around the World

By Sara Elghobashy

September 10, 2009

So you think social media is for uploading photos of you and your friends at Saturday’s barbeque, sharing your favorite song lyrics in your status and posting videos on people’s walls, right? WRONG. Umm, well, I mean, right, BUT this weekend, it can be used for so much more.

One hundred and thirty cities around the globe are participating in Twestival, an international fundraiser that uses Twitter as a starting point to launch action. Twitter users (tweeters? twitterers? twitteraties?) were asked to suggest a charity for their city and organize or sponsor a twitterific event (oh!) in which people can volunteer or donate to that charity. “Tweet. Meet. Give.” is the call to action. Now that’s twittertastic! (Okay, I’ll stop now.)

More than 200 cities participated in the first “Twestival Global” back in February, which raised over $250 thousand to combat water shortages in Africa and Asia. This time around the event, which runs from September 10th to the 13th, is called “Twestival Local” since there is no common cause, but rather local organizations that will benefit from the fundraisers. The goal is to raise $400 thousand, though there are fewer cities than February’s event.

Each local Twestival has its own blog to document the process and Facebook invites were sent out by organizers and their teams of volunteers. The cross pollination of social networking sites is bound to make local Twestivals across the world a hit. So will you be a Twestival near you?