When @persiankiwi’s Last Tweet on June 24th 2009 won the nomination for Open Web Award it was a part of its ongoing journey through Twitter and social media that began five months ago.

This tweet has reverberated throughout Twitter since June 24 , 2009.  Since then @persainkiwi has steadily gained followers even though all public tweets from the account ceased.

This tweet and the one just before it have been quoted and retweeted since June.  It is a tweet that with the help of people from around the world, including me and possibly you, can help to change the world so that it is safer and freer.

Click to sign into the Open Web Awards, sign in via your Twitter or Facebook account and Vote for @persiankiwi for Best You Tube Video of the Year!

It is a tweet that can help topple an illegal dictatorship has been chastised by the United Nations and Amnesty International for repeated and ongoing human rights violations, while continuing its plan to gain nuclear bomb capabilities.

@persiankiwi’a poignant tweets as the Iranian government basiji closed in seemed to leave us with little to do but pray for the safety of all the peaceful Sea of Green protesters, including @persiankiwi, plus Tweet and RT the news in hope that the media such would include stories about Iran in their newspapers and broadcasts.

Now there is more that we can do, we can vote in a meaningful way that will gain a strong media share for the situation in Iran if @persiankiwin wins the Open Web Award. It is a election that the whole international web memberships of Twitter and Facebook can participle in — a kind of worldwide opportunity for democracy.

Unlike most of the other awards and nominations, this one is not a popularity contest about one’s favorite or most enjoyed Tweet, or even one of a memorable event. @persiankiwi’s Tweet is the Tweet of the Year because it continues to reverberate and inspire a vision of a better world and freedom for Iran as it spreads.

Plus, the aftermath—what will happen as a result if @persainkiwi wins, makes our votes count for more than they do in relation to any of the other nominees.

When @persiankiwi wins one of two things will happen, and either helps defeat the dictatorship of the current Iranian regime because they will gain the attention and sympathy of the international community.

1. @persiakiwi will travel to the USA to accept the award. Since @persiankiwi has become a symbol of the brave, young Iranian protesters. This win will gain a great deal of press coverage for the awards, social media and the situation in Iran .

2. @persiankiwi will be denied permission to travel by the Iranian government. This will also gain a good deal of press and reveal more to the international community about the current regime.

Ironically, this summer another brave Iranian Tweeted out during a protest in Farsi and below in English, “My silence is more powerful than your clubs”. It was repeated in many languages and ReTweeted.

Tweet Heard ‘Round the World” (detail) by Judy Rey Wasserman

@persiankiwi’s silence since June 24th has been powerful. A comment ona regime that attacks its own peaceful people who march, unarmed, hands lifeted in V’s for victory to protest for a real and fair infection.

But the award is for @persiankiwi’s words, not the deafening,silece that followed them. The reports from the protests and continuing events were something those of us who joined in RTing under the hashtag #Iranelection knew we could count of for their honest reporting and humanity.Thosw words added up to form a disturbing image of supposedly democratic govenment that had stolen an election.

Just as all the tiny symbol strokes in one of my paintings, such as the avatar for Persian Protesta, intermingle and combine to make an image of a new reality , a painting that can help change how we see the world—so too can all of our tiny votes and tweets combine to create a vision of a new reality of freedom and tolerance for Iran.

Yes, a tweet can change the world – because it can change lives.

Join with me and the many others who have and continue to cast our votes for @persiankiwi for best Tweet of the year in the Open Web Awards.

And then Tweet out the news about your vote on Twitter of Facebook and encourage others to do likewise.

In addition the video of Neda being shot has also won the nomination for Best You Tube Video of the Year. I urge you to also vote for it. This video also deserves to win, plus, unlike any of the other nominees those responsible for capturing the event on video were also risking their lives to bring the images to the world. @persiankiwi’s last tweets chronicles a dangerous situation that led to arrest, and more that we do not yet know. Let’s help win this award for Best Tweet of the Year, hopefully bring this twitter member to the USA to accept the award and safely tell us more. Words can have great power—I know with certainty because I paint with them, their letters are all my strokes.

Sea of Green Rainbow by Judy Rey Wasserman, 2009 Strokes are letters of Bible’s Book of Esther

To quote another leader whose words were and are more powerful than the guns, hoses, dogs, lynching ropes, etc. “I have a dream…”

A tweet — 140 characters— can express a dream – and, yes, it can change the world.

Click to sign into the Open Web Awards, sign in via your Twitter or Facebook account and Vote for @persiankiwi for Best You Tube Video of the Year!

To read the current history of how @persainkiwi’s last tweet became nominated despite the then seeming fact that @persainkiwi might not be alive, plus the wonderful and encouraging new information about @persiankiwi read How You Can Help Change the World for Freedom & Tolerance with 3 Easy Clicks! and
Nominate @persiankiwi for a Free Iran .

Tags: #Iranelection, @persiankiwi, Iran, Open Web Awards, openwebawards, vote, You Tube Video of the Year