£2 million global Zayed Sustainability Prize opens to schools, NGOs and small businesses to develop environmental innovations

The Zayed Sustainability Prize, the UAE’s global award for recognising organisations and high schools with sustainability solutions, has officially announced the 2023 cycle is open for submissions. 

Small to medium enterprises, NGOs and high schools with sustainability solutions can submit entries in one of five categories: Heath, Food, Energy, Water and Global High Schools. The Prize’s £2.2 million annual fund rewards winners £450,000 in each category. Entries are accepted until 6 July 2022.

The Global High Schools category is split into six winners: Americas, Europe & Central Asia, Middle East & North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific, with each school able to claim £75,000 to start or expand projects.

“For 14 years, the Prize has proudly recognized and rewarded the achievements driving innovative and inspiring sustainability solutions,” said H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize. “Building on this legacy, we look forward to awarding the next cadre of sustainability pioneers, driving real environmental and social change and generating even greater positive impact on the world.”

“Young people remain integral for the Prize and we are committed to empowering even greater numbers of future sustainability leaders by providing them with platforms to turn their bold ideas into reality through our Global High Schools category.”

Inspired by the sustainability and humanitarian legacy of UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Prize has, to date, recognised some 96 winners.

The Prize’s 2022 award cycle received a record-breaking 4,000 applications, marking a significant 68.5% annual increase in submissions, from a record 151 countries. 

Core elements of each entry lie in the innovative and impactful ways proposed innovations transform people’s lives for the better. 

For the Health, Food, Energy, and Water categories, organisations should demonstrate they are improving access to essential products or services and have long-term visions for improving living and working conditions. For the Global High Schools category, their projects should be student–led, with emphasis placed on students being actively involved in planning, implementation, and monitoring processes.

The winners will be announced in 2023 during an Awards Ceremony as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW)

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