Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity Honors #GivingTuesday, An Unprecedented Global Philanthropic Partnership

Last year, an unprecedented partnership of more than 2,500 charities, volunteer organizations, corporations, community centers and foundations made history with the inaugural Giving Tuesday (#GivingTuesday) marked by activities and campaigns in all 50 U.S. states and around the world.

This week in Cannes, #GivingTuesday was recognized and honored with a bronze prize by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.  The honor is unprecedented in that it marks the achievement of not one organization, but the collective movement of thousands who, as Blackbaud noted in its reporting, spurred a 53% increase in online financial giving on the first Tuesday of the holiday shopping season, in addition to countless hours of volunteerism and giving back to communities worldwide.

“#GivingTuesday, a program born at 92nd Street Y and supported by the United Nations Foundation and a unique group of partners, inspires personal philanthropy and encourages bigger, better and smarter charitable giving during the holiday season, celebrating that the world can give as good as it gets,” said UN Foundation President & CEO, Kathy Calvin. “The Cannes Lion honor for #GivingTuesday shows the power of a broad-based partnership of non-profits, corporations, and individuals coming together with the goal of changing thinking and inspiring positive change.”

The movement’s goals of inviting more people to think about giving and encouraging generosity of time and resources were embraced by grassroots organizers, corporate and retail leaders and an emerging cadre of entrepreneurial philanthropists.  Like “Black Friday,” “Small Business Saturday” and “Cyber Monday,” #GivingTuesday is now firmly established on the seasonal calendar to mark the opening of the holiday giving season, with volunteers from corporate and community groups alike giving their time and financial resources.

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About #GivingTuesday
#GivingTuesday is a campaign to create a national day of giving at the start of the annual holiday season.  It celebrates and encourages charitable activities that support nonprofit organizations.  #GivingTuesday returns on December 3, 2013.