Tweet, meet, give at Twestival 2010

As my boys set off for school this morning in a welter of habitual protest, I was inspired to write about Twestival, this year supporting those children (and adults) who'd give anything to have the opportunities my boys were trying so vocipherously to avoid.

Twestival's nearly upon us, and the rate of tweets about it are reaching crescendo level. In case you've had your head down a different social media hole for the past couple of years, Twestival is a great way that social media-ites can a) have fun and b) raise money for charity.  (Should I have put that the other way around?)

Twestival started in Feb 2009 - a simultaneous event in 202 cities worldwide, it raised over 250k USD for @charitywater, which resulted in more than 55 wells in Uganda, Ethiopia and India and a direct impact for over 17,000 people. Watch the videos of the first Twestival well drilled in the village of Mai Nabri, Ethiopia to feel good about yourself if you donated.

Then in September last year, 130 cities took part in Twestival local - the same idea, to raise money for charities, but this time they got to choose their own causes.  Collectively, these cities raised over 450k USD for 135 charities, bringing the total fundraising effort in 2009 to over 750k USD.

This year, the event on 25th March will raise money for @Concern, and help the 72 million children in the world who can't attend school.  Concern Worldwide has been selected by the Twestival global team and local organizers to be the recipient because of their comprehensive and well respected approach to education. 

Watching my column roll on the #Twestival search is fascinating. Tweets are flooding in from Hong Kong, Bangalore, Exeter, Galway, Deli, Cape Town, Jerusalem, Rio ....it's all giving me a Live Aid kind of lump in my throat.  If just 30 of my followers on Twitter came to @LDNTwestival it would be enough to send FOUR children to school for a whole year.  That's quite something. And because Twestival is organised, staffed and entertained by volunteers, ALL the money raised goes to the charities.

Watch the video here   Then book your ticket.  And if you can't make it to a Twestival event to meet friends, network and carouse, then you can bid on the Twestival auction. The hashtag is #twestival for the worldwide event and of course each location has its own Twitter address - @LDNTwestival in London's case. 

If you can get to the London Twestival  at the Cable Club  at London Bridge, eModeration have donated some iPod Nanos to what looks like being a fantastic auction - just one of the events in a great evening planned. Please tweet me @emoderation and we'll try to meet up.  (I promise I won't sing in the Karaoke, honest).