Nike and Ashoka Foundation's Changemakers Team Up for Social Change Initiative

July 27, 2010 - PRLog -- Nike and the Ashoka Foundation's Changemakers (http://www.changemakers.com/) have partnered to launch a global initiative, which starts today (July 27) and will last through August 18. The campaign, powered by Facebook and viral marketing, will appear on Nike's Web site, Changemakers.com and Facebook (http://apps.facebook.com/gamechangers-change/). "Changing Lives Through Football" is designed to mobilize millions of people inspired by sport and social change to participate in an initiative that blends the worldwide obsession with soccer and Ashoka's 30+ years as a leader in philanthropy.

Building on the success of two previous collaborative competitions ("Sport for a Better World" and "GameChangers: Change the Game for Women in Sport"), "Changing Lives Through Football" identifies, inspires, and brings together the next wave of leaders who are eager to find ways that sport can unleash the potential of young people, strengthen their communities, boost development, and affect change.

The campaign aims to evaluate and reward ideas that use soccer as a tool for social transformation. In total 293 entrants in 60 countries submitted their innovative ideas. Twelve have been shortlisted as finalists. The Nike/Changemakers/Facebook voting process launches today and ends August 18.

Press contact:

Delyse Sylvester
Director of Community
Ashoka's Changemakers
Tel: 250-352-0616
Cell: 250-551-0570
dsylvester@ashoka.org

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Ashoka's Changemakers is an online community of action that connects social entrepreneurs around the globe to share ideas, inspire, and mentor each other by launching, discussing, and scaling ideas to solve the world's most pressing social problems.