United Nations Foundation Launches Global Good Challenge

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Sep 24, 2012, 10:37 ET

Groundbreaking Digital Collaboration for Social Good Asks People to Donate Their Voices, Take Actions to Improve the World, and Win One-of-a-Kind Experiences and Prizes

WASHINGTON, Sept. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- They say doing good is its own reward, but sometimes it's nice to get a little something extra for your passion and activism. Today the United Nations Foundation launched its largest and most ambitious digital initiative to date: the Global Good Challenge, which rewards participants with unique prizes for "donating their voices" by taking action and engaging their online networks to support the United Nations' work to address some of the world's toughest challenges. Some of the prize highlights include VIP backstage passes for a Lady Gaga concert, MTV Video Music Awards tickets, and a visit to the set of "The Celebrity Apprentice" for a meeting with Ivanka and Donald Trump.

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"The Global Good Challenge is a new way for people to use technology and social media for social good. With the click of a button each person can be a digital champion for the world and help support the life-saving and life-changing work of the United Nations," said Elizabeth Gore, Vice President for Partnerships at the UN Foundation. "By mobilizing a large, united, and energized community of people and partners, we can take our efforts to solve global challenges to a whole new level."

The UN Foundation, a pioneer in building partnerships, growing constituencies, and mobilizing resources, has brought together a unique group of new leaders and influencers spanning the digital ecosystem for this effort.

"Today's global challenges are unprecedented, and so is the opportunity to address them; through social media and mobile usage, we're more connected to people around the world than ever before," said veteran entrepreneur Zaw Thet, a member of the UN Foundation's Global Entrepreneurs Council and a key force behind the Global Good Challenge through his nonprofit collective, Palindrome Advisors. "By using technology and bringing together new platforms to create a modern type of philanthropy, we are fostering positive change."

Now through mid-November, global citizens can sign up for the Global Good Challenge in one click on http://www.unf.org/good or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/unitednationsfoundation. Individuals will raise awareness and take action to help the United Nations prevent malaria with Nothing But Nets, empower girls with Girl Up, and protect children from preventable diseases with Shot@Life. Participants in the Global Good Challenge will earn the ability to enter prize raffles by taking actions such as watching videos, taking quizzes, voting on opinion questions, and sharing educational and inspirational posts on Facebook and Twitter.

As a Champion for the UN Foundation's Girl Up campaign, since it was founded two years ago, Ivanka Trump understands how the Foundation engages people to help build a better world. That involvement has led to her to donate a prize for the Global Good Challenge – a VIP visit to a taping of "The Celebrity Apprentice."

"The UN Foundation's tireless commitment to tackling the big issues – including global health, peace and security, women's empowerment, poverty eradication, energy access, and U.S.-UN relations – motivated me to be part of the Foundation's latest project," said Ivanka Trump, Executive Vice President of Development & Acquisitions at The Trump Organization, and Girl Up Champion. "I view these opportunities through many lenses – as a business woman, an entrepreneur, a philanthropist, and a mother. The Global Good Challenge draws the best from each of these arenas, and it's an honor to lend my whole-hearted support to this new initiative to create a dynamic digital platform to reward individuals for donating their voices."

The Global Good Challenge is powered by plyfe, an innovative social amplification and rewards platform. By sharing their support for key global issues on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, participants will show their friends that they are engaged global citizens, as well as having the opportunity to win dozens of fabulous prizes.

Background:
The UN Foundation has brought together some of the brightest entrepreneurs under 40 through the Global Entrepreneurs Council to take the Foundation – and its campaigns, partnerships, and programs – to the next level of innovation and impact. Council members represent various industries, including corporate, creative community, and media, and have a proven track record of entrepreneurship, philanthropy, and advocacy on global issues.

Always breaking new ground, this Council has created multiple new platforms for the Foundation to leverage in support of the UN, including the largest out-of-home advertising campaign of its kind, a new mobile application and SMS platform, and access to new networks in the entertainment, technology and finance sectors.

Tweet this: @UNFoundation launches the #GlobalGood Challenge. Donate your voice for a better future while playing for amazing prizes @UNFGGC

About the United Nations Foundation:
The United Nations Foundation builds public-private partnerships to address the world's most pressing problems, and broadens support for the United Nations through advocacy and public outreach. Through innovative campaigns and initiatives, the Foundation connects people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The Foundation was created in 1998 as a U.S. public charity by entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner and now is supported by global corporations, foundations, governments, and individuals. For more information, visit www.unfoundation.org.

About plyfe:
Founded in 2011, plyfe (www.plyfe.me) is a social amplification platform that incentivizes users with rewards for actions that add value in a digital community. Plyfe gives any consumer the ability to be rewarded for their digital, social, mobile and real-world activities (through plyfe.me or on partners' properties), by completing digital activities and competing in games to earn points that can be redeemed for real prizes and products. Plyfe's mission is to make your digital life more social, rewarding and fun; and is considered the Robin Hood of social media. Plyfe's primary headquarters are in New York City, with additional offices in San Francisco. Come play life with plyfe.me!

SOURCE United Nations Foundation