Now’s the time of year where many of us reflect upon the people who have made an impact in our lives throughout the past 12 months. Whether it’s a high profile celebrity who has brought a cause you believe in to the public light, or an ordinary person—perhaps even a friend or family member—who has done something extraordinary—now’s the time to recognizing the inspiring heroes in our lives.
As you may have seen on Beliefnet—we are in the middle of our Most Inspiring Person of the Year Award. There are 10 nominees—ranging from Liviu Librescu, a Virginia Tech professor who died saving his students from a gunman, to Majora Carter, an environmental activist who works to greenify poor urban areas, to actor Don Cheadle, who works to bring the plight of the people of Darfur to the public light.

Click here to learn about the nominees and the voting process and to vote for your favorite. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, December 12.
In addition, CNN is also running a tribute to heroes—focusing on ordinary people making an impact around the world. Readers and viewers nominated more than 7,000 heroes from 93 countries and CNN judges have selected 18 finalists. There are six categories—”championing children,” “community crusader,” “defending the plant,” “fighting for justice,” “medical marvel,” and “young wonder.” A winner will be announced in each category.
The event will be televised live on Thursday, December 6 at 9 p.m. ET, and hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour, with appearances by Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, Norah Jones, and Sheryl Crow.
We want to hear your thoughts about the heroes in your life. Click here to talk about the people who have inspired you in 2007.