"Social Media Envoys" Tweet Against Malaria
BY Nancy Scola | Tuesday, March 16 2010
Some big names in social media are using their online networks to draw attention to the problem of malaria's devastating effects in much of the world, all part of a UN initiative:
Today, United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria, Ray Chambers, announced the formation of a Social Media Envoy group chartered with inspiring and activating social media audiences throughout the year in support of malaria control. The Social Media Envoys are dedicated to utilizing their social profile to keep online and offline media audiences focused on the movement, milestones and resources required to achieve the Secretary-General’s goal of providing all endemic African countries with malaria control interventions by the end of 2010.
“In our efforts to reach the Secretary-General’s 2010 goal of universal bed net coverage, and to reach the longer term goal of near-zero deaths from malaria by 2015, it is critical that acceleration continue in the malaria control movement,” said Ray Chambers, United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria. “Social media content and user driven syndication have proven to be exceptional media assets in generating action behind, elevating awareness of, and increasing resources for global malaria efforts. With our malaria-related objectives within sight, this influential group of Social Media Envoys will help us exceed our awareness goals throughout the year.”
The Social Media Envoys have agreed to take one social action, such as a tweet on Twitter or wall post on Facebook, in support of malaria control each month for 12 consecutive months. The first organized social action from this group will take place on World Malaria Day, April 25, 2010. The Social Media Envoys have been selected by the Special Envoy for Malaria due to the influence, size and engagement of their Social Web and broadcast audiences.
The "Social Media Envoys" for malaria include Cory Booker, Anderson Cooper, Guy Kawasaki, Ryan Seacrest, and Biz Stone. Mayor Booker, for one, has already fulfilled his quota for this month, tweeting out to his million-plus followers, "Every 30 seconds a child dies of MALARIA, this is a statistic we plan to change" -- with a link back to the press release announcing the social media envoy program. (via @KateatState)