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Nominations have now opened for the seventh annual World Challenge competition, which rewards projects and small businesses around the world showing enterprise and innovation.

ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World News and Newsweek have once again teamed up with Shell to identify and reward people and groups that bring economic, social and environmental benefits to their local communities.

Nominations must be submitted through the World Challenge website – theworldchallenge.co.uk – by midnight (GMT) ON Sunday 19 June 2011. The winning project will receive a US$20,000 grant from Shell, while two runners up will each receive US$10,000 to help develop their initiatives.

Paul Gibbs, Head of Programmes, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World News, says: β€œThe longevity of this competition is testament to the consistently high standard of entrants we have received. Nominations have increased year on year and never fail to impress us in their originality and invention. The real success of World Challenge lies in the continuing benefit it brings to many of the projects and their communities, not just the prize winners, all of which have gained from their involvement in the competition.”

Rhona Murphy, Publisher & Managing Director, International, at Newsweek says: β€œNewsweek, in partnership with ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World News and Shell, is delighted that for the seventh consecutive year we can continue to showcase such a rewarding global initiative. The World Challenge project has given our readers the opportunity to be involved with grass roots projects and disadvantaged communities in an extremely positive way.”

Karen Westley, Social Performance & Social Investment Manager, Shell adds: β€œShell is proud to continue its support of World Challenge for the seventh year running. We feel it is really important to recognise and reward people that make a real and tangible difference to their local communities.”

The 2010 winner was an innovative project by The Alternative Indigenous Development Foundation Inc. (AIDFI), who created a hydraulic ram pump which uses the power of a river's flow to literally push water uphill without any other energy input. The ram pump is proving to be a lifeline for poor villagers living in mountainous regions. It can save both hours of back-breaking work carrying water and cash where expensive water pumps are replaced. AIDFI has now introduced the ram pump to over 170 upland villages, and has plans to spread the benefits far and wide among poor communities.

Once nominations have closed, a panel of expert judges will shortlist the 12 entries they consider to have shown the most innovation, and made the greatest social and environmental investment in their communities.

ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World News will broadcast six 30-minute programmes in October and November 2011, profiling the finalists. Newsweek will mirror the programmes’ content in a four-part series of special features about the nominees. Viewers and readers will be invited to vote for their favourites. In addition, ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World News will be airing a series of 15-minute programmes, called Down to Business, which will see green business trouble-shooter Leo Johnson visit past projects to give them advice. Newsweek magazine will also run a special feature on Down to Business.

Much more content will also be available on the The World Challenge website. The Down to Business section of the website will launch shortly and be updated throughout the year with new content and articles from Leo Johnson. Fans can also interact with the competition and find exclusive content on the and follow @WorldChallenge on twitter.

The winning entrant for this year’s World Challenge will be announced at an awards ceremony in November 2011. The ceremony will be broadcast on ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ World News and detailed in Newsweek in the same month.

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