The awards, which started in March this year, celebrate sounds from around the globe.

Winners this year included the UK's Nitin Sawhney, Manu Chao from France and Afro-Celt Sound System.

The nominees for the 2003 awards include Senegal's recently-reformed Orchestra Baobab, French/Argentine dance project Gotan Project, Portuguese singer Mariza as well as Russia's Sergey Starostin and Te Vaka, a Polynesian group from New Zealand.

The seven categories are: Africa, The Americas, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, Boundary Crossing and Newcomer.

The shortlist was chosen by delegates at Womex, a world music fair which took place in Essen, Germany at the weekend.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Ocean venue in Hackney, east London on 24 March, which highlights being broadcast four days later.

There is also an award for Critic's Album of the Year, voted for by music critics around the world.

Nominations will be announced on Radio 3's World Routes programme on 30 November.

Radio 3 and Radio 4 listeners can also vote for the Audience Award. Nominees are unveiled on World Music Day, 1 January 2003, and winners announced at the ceremony.

Organisers are hoping for as many of the 28 nominated performers as possible to play live at the awards.

This year, guest presenters included Hollywood actor Johnny Depp, Blur frontman Damon Albarn and The Clash's Joe Strummer.

A CD of songs from nominees wil go on sale in January.