United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown (pictured, right) commended USC students for their participation in a public diplomacy competition that was won by two USC Annenberg undergraduate students.

Katrina Chan (pictured below second to right, B.A. communication, '08) and Tal Flanchraych (picture below second to left, B.A. communication, '08) won first and second place, respectively, for the Click for Change: Educate Africa competition, which highlighted the use of new media in public diplomacy.

"Social network sites offer a unique opportunity to involve thousands of ordinary people in our global campaign to ensure that every child in the world has the chance to receive free primary school education," Brown said. "I want to congratulate and praise the students from the University of Southern California for their commitment to this campaign, and congratulate the winner, OneClickforChange.org (Chan's project). This innovative Web site will be a powerful tool to make the vision of Education for All a reality."

Launched on Jan. 31 at USC, the Click for Change: Educate Africa contest was commissioned by The British Consulate-General in Los Angeles and challenged students to communicate the importance of supporting education in Africa using new media.

"My site currently focuses on the lack of education in Africa, but I want to expand it to include various humanitarian issues in Africa," Chan said. "What I hope is that OneClickforChange.org — partnering with the British government — will become a movement that inspires people and especially students to be advocates for the issues they are passionate about."

Flanchraych developed a site called whyshouldwecare.org for the competition.

"It is a social network about education and gender equality in Africa that has evolved into a site where activists meet, discuss their projects and favorite causes, and even collaborate," she said.

British Secretary of State for International Development Douglas Alexander said he is delighted so many students have participated in this competition to highlight education outreach in Africa.

"Education is a right and should be made available to everyone," Alexander said. "It has a vital role in tackling poverty, can help transform lives, leads to better health and helps people make informed decisions. Yet today there are some 72 million primary aged children not going to school. I congratulate the finalists and all who have helped to highlight this crucial issue."

Representatives from the British Embassy in the U.S., the Kenyan Consulate in Los Angeles and the USC Center on Public Diplomacy reviewed each of the entries based on content, creativity and reach before selecting winner Chan and her project, OneClickforChange.org, as the winner. Her work will be featured on the British government’s Web site for the U.S. and the Web site for the British Department for International Development. Chan will also receive an Apple gift package valued at $1,000 including an iPhone, (Product)Red iPod nano and (Product)Red gift cards. Flanchraych will receive $250 in Apple (Product) Red gift cards.

"My site means so much more to me than just a contest and winning a prize," Chan said. "It’s about raising awareness for the standard of education in Africa."

Click for Change: Educate Africa
OneClickforChange.org
whyshouldwecare.org
British Consulate press release