Children from around the world will gather in Sydney tomorrow night for the announcement of the 1999 Cable & Wireless Childnet International Awards - a program that rewards children and those working with them, for innovative projects on the internet. As the internet is a global medium, all projects have to be of benefit children in more than one country.

The Cable & Wireless Childnet Awards, now in their second year, recognise the benefit of learning, not just by reading about issues, people and places, but by asking questions of people who live in the places being studied.

The internet has some unique advantages as it can bring people together, allow information to flow faster and provide a new way of working more efficiently and collaboratively. Childnet, with the assistance of Cable & Wireless, is working to ensure the internet is used for positive learning experiences.

Childnet is the only organisation that seeks to focus solely on the impact of international communication on children.

Entries for this year's awards were received from 24 countries across every continent. The finalists attending the awards ceremony are from Ireland, Egypt, Japan, Wales, United States of America, the United Kingdom as well as Australia. As well as winning a trip to Sydney, the finalists will be presented with a certificate and money to assist further development of their projects.

The awards are sponsored by Cable & Wireless Optus, in association with Cable & Wireless plc, and are administered by Childnet, a non-profit organisation set up to encourage the use of international communication to be benefit children.

The awards will be screened live internationally via the internet at www.optus.net.au. Alternatively www.optus.net.au/company/sponsorship/webcast99/ takes you straight to the action. Television crews and newspapers from several countries have flown to Australia for the awards adding to the international flavour of the evening.

News Editors/News Directors/Chiefs of Staff please note:

Media are welcome to attend the event. The ceremony begins at 6.00pm at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour Sydney.

For more information:
Stephen Carrick-Davies
Development Manager, Childnet
Mobile: 0413 496 683

Stephen Woodhill, National Media Manager
Cable & Wireless Optus
Phone: 02 9342 7846
Mobile: 0413 318 455
Email: stephen.woodhill@optus.com.au