USA: CNN To Honour Heroes In Global Telecast on December 6

* CNN viewers in 80 countries nominated more than 7,000 heroes * 18 finalists were selected -- three each in six categories of cause-related work * Blue Ribbon Panel will choose one hero in each category for special recognition * Heroes will be recognized during live, global telecast on Thursday, December 6 ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN), November 27, 2007: CNN has announced the names of 18 finalists to be honored at "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute," the culmination of a five-month audience nomination process to recognize ordinary people for their extraordinary accomplishments. The finalists include a U.S. serviceman encouraging Afghan farmers to switch from growing poppies to saffron bulbs, and a Canadian teenager who developed a musical system to improve communication with autistic people. The 18 finalists were selected from more than 7,000 nominations submitted by viewers in 80 countries. The CNN Heroes finalists -- three each in six categories of cause-related work -- will be featured in stories airing on CNN and CNN International beginning Tuesday, November 27 on "Anderson Cooper 360." Their nominations will be further reviewed by a Blue Ribbon Panel of 15 world leaders and luminaries, who will select one individual in each category to be singled out for special recognition during a live, global telecast on Thursday, December 6. "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" will be hosted by CNN's Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, New York. Here, by category, are the 18 CNN Heroes finalists announced Monday: Championing Children: extraordinary commitment to the welfare of young people • Rick Hodes, of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, who helps children there receive essential medical services at local medical clinics; • Scott Loeff, of Chicago, Illinois, who founded a camp for children with Tourette's Syndrome; • Steve Peifer, of Kijabe, Kenya, who combats severe dropout rates by ensuring that more than 11,000 children have daily lunches at school and access to computers. Community Crusader creating solutions to a local problem or social issue • James McDowell, from Patchogue, New York, is a U.S. Army sergeant major serving with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan, who encourages Afghan farmers to grow spice instead of opium poppies; • Rosemary Nyirumbe, who runs a boarding school in Uganda for girls abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army; • Julie Rems-Smario, of Oakland, California, who founded a nonprofit agency that serves deaf survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Defending the Planet: innovative efforts to preserve and protect the environment • Florence Cassassuce, of La Paz, Mexico, who invented a five-gallon bucket that can purify several days' worth of water in four minutes; • Irania Martinez Garcia of Guantanamo, Cuba, who transformed a toxic dump in Cuba into an urban garden; • Mark Maksimowicz, of St. Petersburg, Florida, who co-founded a volunteer armada of boats to help clean up Florida waterways. Fighting for Justice: advancing the cause of civil or equal rights • Pablo Fajardo, who leads the legal team in a landmark human rights and environmental lawsuit in Ecuador; • Rangina Hamidi, of Stone Ridge, Virginia, who empowers local Afghan women to make money from their intricate embroidery skills; • Lynwood Hughes, of Rocky Mount, North Carolina, who started a nonprofit group to help U.S. veterans secure their disability benefits. Medical Marvel: dedication to the enhancement of human health • Peter Kithene, of Seattle, Washington, who founded a clinic in his native Kenya that has provided services to more than 18,000 patients; • Anne McGee, of Las Vegas, Nevada, whose organization arranges free medical transportation for families with gravely ill children; • S. Ramakrishnan¸ of Ayikydy, India, a quadriplegic who runs one of India's largest rehabilitation centers for the disabled. Young Wonder: outstanding achievement by a person under the age of 18 • Kayla Cornale, of Burlington, Ontario, who developed a music system to help people with autism by linking language to sounds; • Dallas Jessup, of Vancouver, Washington, who produced a video designed to teach young women how to escape an attacker; • Josh Miller, of Santa Monica, California, who established a student-run group dedicated to motivating high school students of all backgrounds to succeed in school and life. Links: Blue Ribbon Panel Find this article © 2007 Cable News Network.