UAE National Sustainability Competition 2010
The Competition
Under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi , Environment Expert, CEO of Al Ihsan Charity Centre and H.E. Dr. Mohammed Al Kendi, Former Minister of Environment and UN Ambassador and supported by government and prominent environmental NGO’s iLearn, the exclusive Middle East representative of 2041 is holding a National Sustainability Competition .
The NSC strategic focus:
- sustainability awareness and education of young people in the UAE
- addressing key sustainability issues in the UAE through implementation of practical projects
- increasing the pool of young talent interested in Environment, Science and Technology education and career
- meeting the future recruitment challenges of the Arab world (100 million young people between 18-35 by 2020)
The National Sustainability Competition challenges participants from two categories: individuals and teams from the UAE to propose and implement a project idea, which will positively impact living sustainably within their local community, neighborhood, university, college or emirate.
The project idea must address the environmental sustainability issues currently faced by the UAE and must provide an innovative approach to dealing with one or a combination of the following issues:
- energy and global warming
- water scarcity
- waste management
For more information about environmental sustainability issues you can visit the following websites:
Not only will the idea be evaluated but also the individual(s) on the team will be evaluated. Selection will be done by an independent committee of experts. The competition will be announced on 15th September 2010. You will have to manage your project from start to finish and ensure that it has an enduring impact. The 10 teams and 10 individuals with the best project ideas will be asked to put them into practice. They will have two months for implementation. A panel of judges will select the winners in the two categories: teams and individuals. The winners will be announced on January 16th 2011and they will be awarded a life changing Expedition to Antarctica in March 2011.
The Expedition to Antarctica will:
- Inspire you through gaining first–hand experience of the effects global warming
- Help you develop your leadership skills, enabling you to take on different challenges and turn them into opportunities
- learn from corporate leaders and peers from all over the world about global sustainability challenges and tools to tackle them
- Help you foster new partnerships
- Increase your employability skills through teamwork and self-awareness.
Important
The expedition needs strong characters and individuals, who are committed to continue their work and spread sustainability awareness in their community. You will also need to have a high level of physical fitness.
Please, click here to register for the National Sustainability Competition
If you are a corporate sponsor, for more information, please go to Leadership on Edge or contact us directly
Who can enter?
The NSC is open to all young Emiratis, students and residents of UAE of all nationalities, age between 18-30. We specifically encourage young Emiratis as this competition is aimed at addressing sustainability issues of the UAE. However, Sustainability is about equity and is relevant to all contexts. As a result, every effort is worthy at every level of ability, therefore nationalities will not play a role in selecting the winners.
So anyone in this category can participate in the Competition!
Please note, that all people who have already pre-registered for the Competition during the iLearn Sustainability Awareness week will be informed about the criteria and terms and conditions per email.
Why Young People?
Young people are the future!
Young people are best placed to respond to the challenges of sustainability. As Einstein reminds us, to solve a problem we cannot employ that same thinking that created the problem in the first place. We believe that if young people are engaged in the positive, creative and innovative challenge of sustainability then the sky is the limit. Of course, we need to appreciate the reality around us and the scale of the challenge confronting us - and we acknowledge that this is often a source of inspiration and motivation for many.
Young people by their very nature want to make a positive difference and leave their mark on the world. We encourage young people to consider themselves agents of positive change in their school, university, family and wider community.
