Recognizing practical and functional
 information technology projects that benefit people and communities

Claus Berg sat there, - pale. My wife was sweating. The international audience kept their breath. I felt a nervous jitter through my spine.
"Category 4: IT in all kinds of education," said the speaker.
A short pause. Then:
  "And the winner is......"
The King of Sweden leaned up there on the podium, ready to hand over the trophy to the winner.

"Kidlink!"

Claus grinned relieved at me. The audience applauded. My wife scrutinized my face to find out "how I took it."
I stumbled on my feet, and went up there. Grabbed the King's hand, and received a ton of a prize.
For all of you Kidlink people! You're the best!

Claus Berg:

Odd and Anne-Tove (dressed in her most beatyful old traditional Norwegian clothes) and I were gathering. And I can assure you, that it was a great feeling to be seated in the grandious City Hall, which we usually know from the Nobel Prize events, and even more to hear: "The winner is..."

"...Kidlink..."

- and then see Odd enter the stage and shake hands with the Swedish king.

Kidlink received its trophy from the King of Sweden in the Nobel Hall in Stockholm on Wednesday June 9th. The awards ceremony attracted nearly one thousand guests from all over the world.
The contest spanned 11 categories: New Business Structures, Information Technology for SME:s, Electronic Commerce,  IT in all forms of Edcuation (this is where we competed), Lifelong learning, Public access and Democracy, Health and Community Care, Culture and Media, IT in the Environment, Equal access to Networking, and Traffic and Transport.
92 finalists from some thirty countries had been selected among the 700 projects that participated in the challenge. Six of the winners were from Europe, four from the US, three from Central and Latin America, three from Oceania, and one each from Egypt and Bangladesh.
"Our" category, IT in all forms of education, was a large category with 18 distinguished finalists, including The Global Schoolhouse (ThinkQuest, etc.), and Stanford University's "Globalizing Education in the Wired World".
The first winner was Kidlink (applause now, please!).
The second winner was Ludomatic, Santa Fe de Bogota, Colombia. The third winner was the I*EARN First People's project (Australia).
For more about the Award, check http://www.challenge.stockholm.se/

Quotes:

• Clarisse Olivieri de Lima, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: "This is a very special moment for Kidlink. This prize is now representing all the efforts, all the achievements and besides all, all the LOVE we have for this incredible organization."
• Hannah Sivan, Israel: "congratulations Odd, congratulations kidlink"
• Alenka Makuc, Slovenia: "To KIDLINK family - congratulations!!!!!!!!!"
• Andre Rombauts, Belgium: "Congratulations to Odd ... and all of us...!"
• Bonnie Thurber, USA: "yayayayayayayay! Thanks for the news! and congratulations to all."
• Oscar Becerra, Perú: "Great news for a great team, these are really good news, Odd you must be proud of your baby, warm hugs and cheers."
• Carolynn Bruton, Wynberg, South Africa: "Congratulations from all of us here in South Africa"
• Hajra Faruq, Pakistan: "...An honour well deserved!"
• Sonia Schechteman Sette, Recife, Brazil:
  "C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S !!!
  I'm so proud...
  In fact we all have many reasons to work in Kidlink and it's not the price that will change our way of life, but it's very good to get it. You're great!!! and all Kidlink Family.
  beijos
  =sonia."
• Nini Ebeltoft, Norway:
  C O N G R A T U L A T I O N   K I D L I N K !!!
  My compliments goes to _all_ Kidlinkers - and in particular all the teachers and other committed Kidleader-, Kidforum-Coord., Kidcafe-Coord., KidProj-Coord., Irc and Art - members as well as all technically skilled «aide-de-camps» who has been participating and dedicating an _impressive_ amount of hours constructing, developing, restructuring and in various forms maintaining "the Kidlink concept".
• François Pignot, France: "It is a great moment for KIDLINK. Congratulations. I am proud to work with Kidlink."

Photos