ABU DHABI: Emirates Foundation has announced the winning projects of its Ideathon 2024, a global virtual idea-based hackathon held under the theme ‘Volunteering for Sustainability’ – a competition aimed at inspiring innovative solutions to global sustainability issues and affecting positive change for the environment.
This year’s competition was held between 4th-6th March 2024, in collaboration with the International Association for Volunteer Effort (IAVE) and in partnership with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and the Environment, Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), and Ideathon 2024’s main sponsor, General Motors.
Attracting 270 applications from non-profit and volunteer organisations from 78 countries, the competition was shortlisted down to 15 teams, subdivided into three groups of five teams; each competing in three different themes addressing environmental challenges and having just 24 hours to come up with a solution. A team from each of the three groups was then declared the overall winner of t
he theme. The final winning teams will receive a total fund of US$25,000 each to implement their projects.
For the theme of ‘Volunteering to Protect Nature, Lands and Oceans’, the winning team was Shelter Participatory Organisation, from Pakistan. Their winning project addressed the challenge: How can volunteering support the long-term, scalable protection of natural resources at the community level?
The winner in the ‘Volunteering for Youth Education and Skills’ theme was Serve Global, from Ethiopia. Their winning project addressed the challenge: How can volunteering build skills for the green economy that are internationally recognised?
In the third theme, ‘Volunteering for Disaster Relief,’ the winning team was Padyarescue Incorporated, from the Philippines. Their project addressed the challenge: How can volunteers create cultures of belonging and integration for those displaced by a disaster?
Highlighting the importance of Ideathon, as well as corresponding volunteering efforts, to offer solutions
to environmental issues, Ahmed Al Shamsi, CEO of Emirates Foundation, said, ‘As we conclude this remarkable event, I am inspired by the dedication and creativity exhibited by our international volunteers in shaping sustainable solutions for our planet. Their commitment to environmental preservation echoes the values of Emirates Foundation and the UAE.’
He added, ‘Through collaborative efforts and innovative thinking, fully showcased over the three-day event, we have witnessed the power of collective action towards a greener, more sustainable future. The winning ideas and proposals certainly hold the potential to drive meaningful change for the environment and, by extension, the communities that will directly benefit. So, while we rightly celebrate the winners and their projects, let us remember that this spirit of innovation and collaboration must continue beyond a mere competition, as we work to implement the ideas that will safeguard our planet for generations to come.’
Evaluation of the finalists’ projec
ts was conducted by a high-level panel of judges whose expertise and assessment ensured international standards of independent judging criteria were applied in the selection of the winners.
As part of a series of five workshop sessions to help participants fine-tune their pitches and generate ideas suitable for the overarching theme of this year’s Ideation, several experts provided guidance to the finalist teams.
Commenting on the importance of this competition and the contributions of the participants, Nichole Cirillo, Executive Director of the International Association for Volunteer Effort, said, ‘Governments and institutions around the world are recognising that we will not achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals without the investment, innovation, and commitment of volunteers. We’re proud to be a partner in this Ideathon to spur creative solutions and highlight the impact that a billion volunteers are making in communities across the globe.’
Chad Wellman, Chief Financial Officer at General Motors
Africa and Middle East, added, ‘The Ideathon’s open call for impactful proposals has far surpassed expectations, and we are keen to take forward our collaborative approach towards growing green economies and protecting resources. We will continue to support fresh thinking from a range of nationalities, capabilities, and age brackets that will help bring to life our aligned vision for a greener, more inclusive future.’
Source: Emirates News Agency