CNN Honors 2010 Hero of the Year
CNN took cable television to another level Sunday night as it presented its 2010 "CNN Heroes — An All-Star Tribute", naming a 61-year-old woman from Tibet as their Hero of the Year.
Anuradha Koirala received the night's top honors for her work with her group, Maiti Nepal, that have been fighting for 17 years to rescue and rehabilitate thousands of Nepal's sex trafficking victims. By raiding brothels, patrolling the India-Nepal border and providing safe shelter and support services, Koirala and Maiti Nepal have helped rescue and rehabilitate more than 12,000 Nepali women and girls since 1993.
In addition to Koirala, nine other finalists were recognized as they rounded out the 2010 Top Ten. CNN initiated the Heroes program in 2008 — relying on a grass-roots system for nominations and the naming of finalists by a blue ribbon panel of dignitaries and humanitarians.
Nominations are now open for the 2011 competition, and virtually anyone is eligible to nominate someone that they feel is worthy at www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/cnn.heroes/nom/.
Deservingly, American national television has received a bad rap in recent years for capitalizing on our culture's intrigue with combativeness, divisiveness and mean-spirited programming in general. Congratulations to CNN for taking the road less traveled, and presenting us with a reminder of the potential of the human spirit when it's put to the most fundamental of altruistic purposes.
So for Fox, MSNBC, and the others, I have one question — are you listening?
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