Ashoka Changemakers Launches Global Innovation Competition

Supported by Google, the competition aims to boost media access and participation around the world

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ashoka Changemakers, with the support of Google, launched Citizen Media: A Global Innovation Competition to discover ground-breaking solutions that boost media access and participation around the world. These two global leaders in innovation and social change have come together to connect people to the power of media in order to drive social change.

An expert panel of judges, including Esther Wojcicki, Michael Maness and Justin Arenstein, will select a pool of competition finalists.  This selection will be followed by a public voting stage to select winners. Ultimately, four winners will be recognized and each will be awarded a cash prize of U.S. $5,000. Top entries of the Citizen Media competition will be considered for Ashoka News and Knowledge Fellowship awards.

"Access to media empowers people to be more innovative, effective, and engaged citizens," said Jared Cohen, Director of Google Ideas and a competition judge. "We hope that this competition invites people to share their ideas for harnessing the tremendous power of media to affect social change where it's most needed."

"This Citizen Media competition highlights global innovators who are addressing the challenges of the information age in new and insightful ways," said Diana Wells, president of Ashoka. "We are thrilled to partner with Google to leverage the creativity and ethical fiber of social entrepreneurs who are giving a voice to the voiceless, and connecting global citizens to vital information that empowers them to change their world."

All individuals and organizations that have ideas related to any form of media or communication technology are welcome to enter the Citizen Media competition.

Visit www.changemakers.com/citizenmedia to review guidelines, enter the competition, discuss and share ideas related to media access and participation, comment on entries, and vote for the top entries. Entries will be accepted in multiple languages until September 14th.

About Ashoka Changemakers
Changemakers is a global online community that supports everyone's ability to be a changemaker by inspiring, mentoring, and collaborating with other members of the community at every level of changemaking. Changemakers builds on Ashoka's three-decade history of transforming the citizen sector by building the largest association of leading social entrepreneurs in the world.

CONTACT: Sarah Mintz of Ashoka Changemakers, +1-415.939.0028, [email protected]

SOURCE Ashoka Changemakers