#twestival

[gracerodriguez]

Even Merrier Christmas! Celebrating by rediscovering the ghosts of Christmas past... If you remember any of these, too, please chime in with your memories! #twestival #TEDxHouston #visualized @culturepilot #C2

[twestival]

Winding down the party

Thank you for an amazing final year of Twestival

As hard as it may be to believe, we just wrapped our fifth year of Twestival!

In 2013, we experimented with a new model. Instead of a single day of action, Twestival was opened up for local organizers to select their own date. And while we’re still gathering the final tally of how much was raised in 2013, we already know several incredible communities came together again for their fifth time to hold sell-out events — including Kuala Lumpur; Barcelona; Phoenix, Arizona; and Victoria, British Columbia.

But we were especially inspired by new cities like Nairobi and Dakar, two important African capitals that joined us to host their very first Twestivals and supported great local causes.

From London to the World

When I had the idea back in September 2008 to take a one-off event in London for local Twitter users and spin it out into a global charitable campaign, I never could have imagined we'd end up raising over $1.8 million for over 300 nonprofits worldwide. That’s a lot of money, for a lot of good causes.

It was also a lot of hard work involving thousands of volunteers. I am immensely proud of the passion that everyone has poured into Twestival and grateful for their eagerness to share this fun and rewarding dream.

Over the years, Twitter has evolved as an online community. Twestival was one of the first to tap into a global network of people to unite for distributed offline events, and in the early days, it also introduced many people including nonprofits to the power of social media for social good. Today, Twitter and other social networks are well known for their ability to connect individuals to the causes they care about and in some cases have truly become a force for change in society. It has been a thrill to be part of that early history.

Taking the party elsewhere

Every good party has to eventually wind down. After much contemplation, it finally feels like the right time to give the Twestival brand a rest.

Of course, the connections to the people you met through Twestival remain, and as individuals, we are no less committed to supporting the important work of nonprofits. If anything, Twestival may have inspired us all to do more. I certainly hope so.

If you are interested in hosting an event like Twestival, we are happy to give you encouragement and some resources to make it happen — all we ask is that you find a different name for your event to avoid confusion.

Many people have written about Twestival and focused on its impact with social media or fundraising. But for me, it comes down to one thing: the power of community. Because as much as Twestival made the most of a new tool called Twitter, it was the passionate volunteers who created the events where those 140-character messages actually transformed into real-world connections that made lasting impacts in cities all around the world.

Thank you for turning a little idea into a movement.

Amanda Rose, Founder of Twestival (@amanda)

[twestival]

Building a green wall, one seedling at a time

How many trees will Twestival help plant in Nairobi?

Twestival Nairobi organizer Evans Muriu, photo by kevdanative.com

Nairobi has been called the "Green City in the Sun" for its many parks and dense tree cover throughout the city. 

But as this prominent Kenyan capital has quickly expanded, industrial waste and domestic pollution now increasingly threaten its green spaces, including the nearby wildlife reserve, Nairobi National Park.

Twestival Nairobi organizer Evans Muriu wants it to stop. His event will help plant a protective wall of trees between the park and the growing metropolis of more 3 million people.

Located just 7 km from the city centre, Nairobi National Park is a 117-square-km savannah ecosystem home to the Black rhino, lion, cheetah, Giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and diverse birdlife.

Source: Wikipedia

Green fences make good neighbours

On November 22, Twestival Nairobi will raise funds for the Nairobi Greenline Project, an initiative to plant 300,000 indigenous trees along a 30 kilometre strip of land bordering the park, forming a 50-metre-wide green boundary. 

"What I wanted to achieve through Twestival, other than planting the trees, was improve people's consciousness of their immediate environment," says Twestival organizer Evans Muriu (@vancemuriu), a business consultant and youth mentor. "Planting trees does so much good," he adds, citing their importance in stopping erosion to the health benefits of shade and green spaces.

Adopt a seedling

Twestival Nairobi's goal is to raise money for at least 750 seedlings at the cost of 200 Kenyan shillings each (approx. US$2.30). The evening will feature music and "poet tree" festivities overlooking the Nairobi Central Business District skyline from the rooftop patio of PAWA254, a collaborative hub for social change.

But the event continues the next day with a tree planting, allowing participants to personally place their own adopted seedlings in the soil, and take action toward a greener Nairobi.

Drawing a line

Muriu knows there is a long way to go. "The deforestation in Nairobi is a mess," says Muriu. "Where you saw trees two years ago, they have been replaced by buildings. People are cutting down trees to put up commercial entities."

Muriu tells a story of seeing an old aerial photo of Nairobi in the 1960s. "You could see trees across the horizon," he says. "Today, if you took such a photo, all you would see is buildings. I think we need to draw the line and realign our priorities."

Interested in adopting a seedling? In Kenya, Twestival Nairobi is accepting donations via M-PESA mobile banking (Buy Goods Till number 89857). Alternatively, contact Evans Muriu and get more at nairobi.twestival.com

(You can also read more about Greenline in this CNN "Inside Africa" report.)

[trishofalltrades-blog]

Some quick #Twestival thank yous...

(Pictures taken by @stevegarfield, @gr8bosfoodbank @jeffcutler @attackofthetext ... in a 30 second span. hahaha)

I'll do a full recap + Storify + pull in the final numbers as soon as I have them... but I just wanted to send a quick THANKKKKKKK YOUUUUUUUUUU to the amazing Boston community that came out for the return of Twestival here in town. 

HUGE thanks to @GameOnFenway + Meghan + Jen + Mark for hosting and feeding the crowd as well as Chris and Carlen from the @Gr8BosFoodBank for helping us collect money for their wonderful cause. 

Special thanks to @emichaud who's been a great sounding board and wonderful volunteer since the summer. @kristindziadul who came on board to get the word out, and @morganbrady who was the lovely lady registering everyone when they came in.   

And of course, our amazing raffle donors @myersandchang + Joanne + Scott, @B_Good_ + Jon, @bullyboybooze + Will, @craigieonmain + Carrie, @YelpBoston + Damien, @meimeiboston + Margaret, The Grafton Group (@russellhousetav @grafton02138 @PARKcambridge @templebar02138) + Pat. 

Y'all are amazing human beings... and here's to a splendiferous future for @TwestivalBoston! 

(Full recap sooooon!)

[twestival]

20 Signs you joined Twitter before @aplusk

Twestival was a big believer in Twitter back when it was just a young chick!

Check out this nostalgic look at its early days that a few of Twestival's global organizing team put together. Includes such nuggets as:

2. You were constantly defending Twitter as “something more than just sharing what you ate for lunch”.

4. You followed back everyone that followed you.

6. Failwhale was a regular part of your vocabulary.

8. You could still find the DM button.

[frontrunnersto]

"My opportunity with The Remix Project provides me with the means to pursue photography as both profession and artistic craft. As an amateur photographer looking to develop the best of my abilities; the mentors to whom I've been introduced, who currently work in the industry, have managed to create a positive and healthy learning environment for the participants. We all feel very comfortable socializing. This photograph, that I've titled 'Healthy & Positive,' gives a glimpse into how the space created for participants is a positive and healthy environment within which to share, explore, network and create." 

-Mugugu Beauduin

[twestival]

Win $500 for charity with a single tweet

Turning social currency into social good

Photo courtesy epSos.de

Here's your chance to make all that tweeting really pay for a good cause! 

As part of our efforts to share the generosity of PayPal's $10,000 donation to Twestival 2013, we're launching a special contest. We want to give everyone a chance to win money for their favourite nonprofit—whether they have been involved in Twestival or not!

All you have to do to enter is post a tweet on one of the five days below about the topic of the day and the #twestival hashtag. If your tweet is selected, we'll make a $500 donation in your name to the favourite charity of your choice!

>  Monday, October 7 ($500) — Who did you meet at Twestival? >  Tuesday, October 8 ($500) — What impact did Twestival have on your charitable organization? [special for past Twestival recipients] >  Wednesday, October 9 ($500) — Share a fun photo memory from a past Twestival >  Thursday, October 10 ($500) — Tell us how Twestival has influenced you or your community >  Friday, October 11 (two $500 prizes) — What nonprofit would you like to see supported by Twestival, and why?

  Contest starts midnight GMT on each day and runs for 24 hours. Winners will be selected by the Twestival's global organizing team and announced the following week on Twitter and our blog. 

  They say there's no such thing as easy money—but it doesn't get much easier than this.

  Start crafting those 140 characters with the hashtag #twestival and you could give your favourite charity a happy surprise! 

[twestival]

3 ways to win for your Twestival charity

How we're sharing $10,000 from PayPal

#1. Use PayPal Here at your Twestival — two prizes of $2,500

The easy and innovative PayPal Here mobile payment app is an awesome way to collect donations at your Twestival. With PayPal Here and your iOS or Android smartphone or tablet, you can accept credit cards, PayPal and checks on the spot at your Twestival—a great opportunity to seize the moment and encourage some spur-of-the-moment donations.

How to win: Simply sign up online to order your PayPal Here and post a photo of it in action to either Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #TwestivalPayPal. Then, for every $100 that your event raises in total, one ticket will be entered into a random draw on December 31, 2013. The more you fundraise, the greater chance you'll have to win one of two $2,500 contributions to your Twestival charitable recipient.

The draw will be held live online during the first week of January 2014. Please note that this contest is managed by Twestival organizers and PayPal has no direct oversight, responsibility or influence on its outcome.

To get started, download the PayPal Here mobile app and launch it to start setting up your account. This website will show you how to get the most out of the app and mobile card reader.

Got questions? Tweet us!

Please note that PayPal Here is currently only available in the United States. But don't worry—there are other ways to win. 

#2. Twestival Team Photo Contest — two prizes of $1,000

Twestival Barcelona 2011 team photo

It's time to get creative! We're awarding two $1,000 donations to the charitable recipient of the Twestival teams with the best photo in each of these categories:

> Most creative team photo ($1,000)

> Photo (or video) that best highlights your chosen cause ($1,000)

Submit your 2013 team photo to [email protected] by December 31, 2013 to be eligible. Winners will be selected by the Twestival Global Team. We're looking for photos that are inspired, thoughtful and fun.

  3. Twestival Tweets — six prizes of $500

Finally, to mark the fifth anniversary of Twestival, we want to give everyone a chance to win money for a nonprofit of their choice, whether they have been involved in Twestival or not!

We are giving away six $500 charitable donations for the best tweets in five categories between October 7 – 11. Get all the details here.

You tweet, we give

We hope you enjoy sharing the Twestival love, and that you win big for your favourite registered nonprofit!