What is a Twestival? It’s when users of the popular micro-blogging website Twitter gather in support of a local cause.
The Chennai edition of ‘Twestival Local’ was held on Thursday at Alliance Francais in support of Prajnya trust, a NGO that works on issues related to gender violence.
As part of the festival, a western classical concert was held, at which donations were collected for Prajnya which is organising a 16 day campaign in November and December to raise awareness about facts, laws, and services realted to gender violence,
According to Lavanya Ravishankar and Adithya Shrikrishna, who are the local organisers of the Twestival, the motive behind the festival is to encourage the twitter community to take up a local charity’s cause. They also wish to raise awareness about the reach of such micro blogging sites. Over 130 causes will be supported at such local festivals around the world between September 10th and 13th.
The idea for the festival was mooted in September last year by a group of Twitter users from London. In Febrauary this year, Twestival raised $2.5 lack to fund drinking water projects for villages in Africa. This led to the Twetsival local, which is aimed at people and causes in the neighbourhood. Another concert by a Chennai based band is scheduled at the same venue on September 12, as part of the festival. Twestivals are also being hosted at other cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune.
