For everyone who took part in, supported, volunteered for, or just heard about TwestivalTO last year, we have some great news for you. And if this is your first time hearing about it, read on. We’re back! Well, kind of.
Twestival is a volunteer-driven, global non-profit movement that has raised over $1.75 million over the past 4 years by using social media for good. Twestival Local 2011 connected communities offline on a single day to raise $565,000 for local charities in 150 cities around the world. Last year’s Toronto edition, TwestivalTO, was a huge success. Over $18,000 was raised for The Remix Project, a local Toronto charity that utilizes mentorship, instruction and the power of the arts to inspire at-risk youth and help them achieve their dreams.
This year, Twestival Global has made the decision to place its local editions of the Twitter Festival on temporary hiatus. Although we can’t have a TwestivalTO event this year, many of the organizing committee found last year to be such an enriching experience that we were inspired to create a new organization of a similar mindset, allowing us to continue creating great events that support local causes through social media. Enter DefineTO!
DefineTO is a group of like-minded individuals who are redefining what passion, ambition and success look like. The world around us moves at lightning speed, and so do we. Through it all, we are defining what we believe in, what our goals are and the road to take us there. We are not doing this by sitting around waiting for the next promotion; we are doing it by redefining our path to success and by being the exception, not the rule.
The values of DefineTO are to be passionate, by celebrating passionate ideas that inspire others; to be fearless, by encouraging others to be the exception rather than the rule as they create their own definition of success; and to be social, by collaborating with the community to foster meaningful connections. DefineTO’s goal is to use social media for good by connecting the Toronto community (online and offline) of like-minded people to celebrate innovative and passionate ideas. We aspire to support local causes that help others define their own path.
The very first DefineTO fundraiser event will take place on April 12th, 2012 at The Fifth Social Club in Toronto. Once again, we have partnered with The Remix Project and will be raising funds for the creative programs and services they bring to at-risk youth in Toronto. The Remix Project supports the values of DefineTO with its mission to provide youth with opportunities to define who they are, on their own terms and through creative education.
We are so excited for this event, not only because it gives us the chance to support a great local charity, but also because it is our opportunity to introduce DefineTO to the Toronto community. Planning for the event is already well underway, so stay tuned for more information and updates on all the cool things that will be going on. We hope you will join us in this great cause!
