The Zayed Sustainability Prize has announced the extension of its submissions’ deadline for the 2021 awards edition to June 11th, 2020,in efforts to accommodate its diverse international audience base throughout the ongoing global health crisis.
Small-to-medium sized enterprises, non-profit organisations and high schools around the world canstill submit their entries, applyand compete through the Prize’s online portal, for the UAE’s pioneering global award rewardingimpact, innovation, and inspiration across five sustainability categories – Health, Food, Water, Energy and Global High Schools.
Commenting on the announcement, H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said: “As the world continues to combat Covid-19, identifying practical and effective solutions that strengthen sustainable development and empower others to do so through the Zayed Sustainability Prize remains an objective of paramount importance, in line with the humanitarian vision of our Founding Father Sheikh Zayedbin Sultan Al Nahyan.Therefore,given the special circumstances that various communities and nationsare facing, the decisionwas taken to extend this year’s submission deadline.”
H.E. added: “We have seen an encouraging volume of entries thus far, and we are confident that the expanded timeframe will enable the world’s sustainability pioneers to inspire us with their ideasto effect positive change.”
The US$3 million prize fund is divided equally between the winners of the five categories, with each allocated US$600,000. In the Global High Schools category, the award recognises six winners, from six world regions, with each winning school eligible to claim up to US$100,000 in funding.
The 2019-2020 awards cycle witnessed a record-breaking number of submissions, with 2,373 entries received from 129 countries, a testament to the Prize’s far-reaching global success and mass appeal within the international sustainability community for more than a decade.
To date, the Prize has recognised and rewarded a total of 86 winners whose solutions or school projects have, directly and indirectly, transformed the lives of 335 million people around the world.
Small-to-medium sized enterprises and non-profit organisations must enter an existing sustainability solution with demonstrable impact in one of the Health, Food, Energy, or Water categories. On the other hand, the Global High Schools category invites student-led projects or proposals, based on one or more of those four sustainability themes, and provides funding to help develop or enhance their school or local community project.
