Western Union launches Global Network Challenge

Are you the world’s most globally networked individual? Western Union, one of the world’s most globally connected companies with 470,000 locations in 200 countries and territories, is celebrating its 160th anniversary by launching a hunt for the most networked person in the world. To carry out this challenge Western Union has created an innovative and interactive Facebook application called “Your World”.

The world’s leading money transfer company is calling on every Facebook user in the UAE and across the Middle East to step forward and take the Western Union Network Challenge at www.westernunionworld.com/yourworld. The application visualises Facebook fans’ global connections and users receive a score that shows how globally connected they are. They can compare their ranking against their Facebook Friends; against others in their country and against others in the world.

Launching the Network Challenge, Hikmet Ersek, President and CEO of Western Union said, “When we were thinking how best to celebrate our landmark 160^th anniversary and the role we play in connecting people across the globe, Your World made perfect sense.”

“We’re incredibly proud that people across the globe have been inviting us to be part of their lives for 160 years. Today, we’re online, on mobile and landlines, around the corner in over 400,000 locations and around the clock, potentially touching the lives of one sixth of the world’s population. That gives us a privileged and unique perspective on the world.”

“We wanted to find a way to give consumers their own bird’s eye view of their personal network in the world. As well as being a fun way to celebrate the power of human connectivity, Your World is going to create some fascinating insights, and perhaps encourage more of us to reach out to our fellow global citizens.”

Jean Claude Farah, Western Union’s Senior Vice President for the Middle East and Africa said, “The Middle East is one of the most important regions for Western Union with its large expatriate population and growing SME sector. We have helped make a difference to the lives of millions of people across the region. Western Union is one of the world’s most globally connected companies and considering that there are approximately 16 million Facebook users in the region, this Network Challenge is an ideal opportunity for us to engage with our consumers.”