Category: Awards

Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order 2025

AwardsThe Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order is given to those who have taken on issues of world importance and presented viewpoints that could lead to a more just and peaceful world. Each idea supports one noble cause: to inspire us all to work together for the common good. Award: $100,000. Deadline: 31 January 2025.

Submissions will be judged according to originality, feasibility and potential impact, not by the cumulative record of the nominee. They may address a wide range of global concerns including foreign policy and its formation; the conduct of international relations or world politics; global economic issues, such as world trade and investment; resolution of regional, ethnic or racial conflicts; the proliferation of destructive technologies; global cooperation on environmental protection or other important issues; international law and organization; any combination or particular aspects of these, or any other suitable idea which could at least incrementally lead to a more just and peaceful world order.

Voltaire Prize for Tolerance, International Understanding and Respect for Differences 2025 (Germany)

AwardsCall for nominations: Voltaire Prize for Tolerance, International Understanding and Respect for Differences, University of Potsdam, Germany. Deadline: 31 October 2024.

In 2025 the University of Potsdam will be presenting the eighth Voltaire Prize for Tolerance, International Understanding, and Respect for Differences. Each year, the University of Potsdam awards the prize to one young scholar who has made an important contribution to the social dialogue on peace, international understanding, and tolerance, or who has campaigned for freedom in research and teaching or the right of free expression. A panel of judges selects the prizewinner from among the nominations submitted.

The winner of the Voltaire Prize will be honored in January, 2025 at the University of Potsdam New Year’s Reception. The prize amounts to €5,000 and is financed by the Friede Springer Foundation. Nominations for the Voltaire Prize must be submitted by third parties or organizations. Self-nominations are not possible.

Intercultural Achievement Awards 2024 (Austria)

AwardsCall for nominations: Intercultural Achievement Awards, Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, Vienna, Austria. Deadline: 17 March 2024.

The Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs is inviting applications for the Intercultural Achievement Award – a prize for outstanding, innovative intercultural and interreligious projects from Austria and abroad. The award highlights best practices and promotes the work of dialogue projects from all over the world with prize money and opportunities for international networking. Both domestic and international organisations that are committed to intercultural and interreligious dialogue in the fields of art and culture, youth, human rights, global citizenship education, integration and gender equality are eligible to apply.

Since 2014, the award has received over 1,913 submissions from 110 different countries, illustrating its growing recognition. In 2024, the winning projects will receive prize money of 6,000 to 10,000 euros. Recognition prizes of 3,000 euros may also be awarded.

The Intercultural Achievement Award is presented in the following categories:

  • Sustainability: Best ongoing intercultural and/or interreligious project focusing on the environment
  • Recent Events: Best intercultural and/or interreligious project related to a current event
  • Technology: Best application of technology to support an intercultural and/or interreligious project
    Innovation: Most innovative intercultural and/or interreligious project
  • Media: Best media contribution for intercultural and/or interreligious understanding
  • Integration in Austria
  • Best Austrian project in the categories of Sustainability, Recent Events, Technology, or Innovation

Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order 2024

AwardsThe Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order is given to those who have taken on issues of world importance and presented viewpoints that could lead to a more just and peaceful world. Each idea supports one noble cause: to inspire us all to work together for the common good. Award: $100,000. Deadline: 31 January 2024.

Submissions will be judged according to originality, feasibility and potential impact, not by the cumulative record of the nominee. They may address a wide range of global concerns including foreign policy and its formation; the conduct of international relations or world politics; global economic issues, such as world trade and investment; resolution of regional, ethnic or racial conflicts; the proliferation of destructive technologies; global cooperation on environmental protection or other important issues; international law and organization; any combination or particular aspects of these, or any other suitable idea which could at least incrementally lead to a more just and peaceful world order.

Wege Prize 2024

AwardsWege Prize is an annual competition that ignites game-changing solutions for the future by inspiring college/university students around the world to collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and cultural boundaries to redesign the way economies work. Participants contend for $65,000 (USD) in total cash prizes, all while learning—and helping to show the world—what the future of problem solving looks like. Deadline: 8 October 2023.

College/university students from around the world apply as transdisciplinary teams of five, representing different academic disciplines, institutions, and degree levels. Teams advance through up to four distinct phases, receiving feedback from experts and professionals in related fields along the way. Each team must leverage its transdisciplinary makeup to collaboratively design and propose a product, service, business model, or other solution to a wicked problem of their choosing that can help us transition from a linear economic model to a circular economic model.

Read the description of past winners here.

Wege Prize is organized by Kendall College of Art and Design’s Wege Center for Sustainable Design with support from the Wege Foundation, both based in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Intercultural Innovation Award Recipients 2023

Awards2023 winners of the Intercultural Innovation Hub Award, a program developed by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and BMW Group, have now been announced.

Ten global grassroots initiatives have been named finalists of the prestigious Intercultural Innovation Hub Award during an Awards Ceremony held in Berlin on May 24, 2023. The Intercultural Innovation Hub recognizes and supports grassroots initiatives that promote intercultural dialogue and understanding, and contribute to peace, cultural diversity, and inclusive societies. The winners were:

  • Inspire (Indonesia) – Pledge United
  • Mais Diferenças (Brazil) – Literature in Multiple Accessible Formats
  • Oasis ‘Reach For Your Dreams’ (South Africa) – Community Street Football/Netball
  • Tech2Peace (Israel) – A New Reality: Israelis and Palestinians Innovating Together
  • Fundación Ixcanul (Guatemala) – Itinerant Travelling Cinema
  • Programa Adopte un Talento / PAUTA (Mexico) – Empowering Girls and Adolescent Girls from Vulnerable Groups and Communities in Mexico with Science
  • Welcoming Australia (Australia) – Welcoming Cities
  • Wasel for Awareness and Education (Jordan) – Shabbek Wa Bader
  • SWANS Initiative (Germany) – More Leylas in Leadership
  • Fundación Barranquilla+20 (Colombia) – Women for Climate Justice

Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity 2023

AwardsThe Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity, awarded annually, aims to recognise people, groups of people and/or organisations from all over the world whose contributions to mitigation and adaptation to climate change stand out for its novelty, innovation and impact. Award: 1 million euros. Deadline: 17 March 2023.

The Gulbenkian Prize for Humanity underscores the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation’s commitment to urgent climate action, to investment in solutions which benefit people and the planet, and to showing there is still hope if we act now. In the run-up to COP28 in 2023, the Prize will be a flagship initiative recognising people or organisations who are making outstanding contributions in combating the climate crisis; contributions which can mitigate the negative effects of climate change on people, the environment and the economy, and promote a society that is more resilient and better prepared for future global change, while protecting the most vulnerable.

Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order 2023

AwardsThe Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order is given to those who have taken on issues of world importance and presented viewpoints that could lead to a more just and peaceful world. Award: $100,000. Deadline: 31 January 2023.

The Award is presented annually to the winner of a competition designed to stimulate the recognition, dissemination and critical analysis of outstanding proposals for improving world order. Submissions will be judged according to originality, feasibility and potential impact, not by the cumulative record of the nominee. They may address a wide range of global concerns including foreign policy and its formation; the conduct of international relations or world politics; global economic issues, such as world trade and investment; resolution of regional, ethnic or racial conflicts; the proliferation of destructive technologies; global cooperation on environmental protection or other important issues; international law and organization; any combination or particular aspects of these, or any other suitable idea which could at least incrementally lead to a more just and peaceful world order.

UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize 2022

AwardsUNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence 2022. Nominations due: 15 July 2022.

UNESCO invites individuals, civil society actors, governmental and non-governmental entities active in strengthening foundations for peace and tolerance to propose candidates for the 2022 UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence. The deadline for submissions is extended until 15 July 2022 at midnight (GMT +2). Awarded every two years, on the International Day for Tolerance (16 November), the Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$ 100,000.

The Prize was established in 1995 on the occasion of the United Nations Year for Tolerance and the 125th anniversary of the birth of Mahatma Gandhi. It was also the year when UNESCO Member States adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance. It bears the name of its benefactor Madanjeet Singh, who was a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Indian artist, writer and diplomat.

Its purpose is to reward women, men, institutions, other entities or non-governmental organizations that have made exceptional contributions and demonstrated leadership in the promotion of tolerance and non-violence.

Intercultural Innovation Award Finalists 2021

Awards2021 winners of the Intercultural Innovation Award, a program developed by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and BMW Group, have now been announced.

Ten global grassroots initiatives have been named finalists of the prestigious Intercultural Innovation Award during an Awards Ceremony held in Dubai on November 19, 2021. This year, the selection process was highly competitive, with over 1,100 applications received from 120 countries. The winners are:

  • International Trustbuilding – Initiatives of Change International (Switzerland)
  • Knitting a Better Future – La Cana, Productos con Causa (Mexico)
  • Dialogue on the Human Fraternity Document – Mediterranean Youth Foundation (Egypt)
  • MITTI Café, Inclusion with Every Meal – MITTI Social Initiative Foundation (India)
  • Arrival Advisor – PeaceGeeks Society (Canada)
  • Emerging Leaders – PLACE Network (France)
  • Politize! Ambassadors Program: Promoting Civic Empowerment for All – Politize! Civic Education Institute (Brazil)
  • Always Remember, Never Forget – Spielen in der Stadt (Germany)
  • Creative Youth Boot Camp: Art for Social Transformation – Street Project Foundation (Nigeria)
  • SMART Advocates: For Effective Dialogue to Address the Grassroots Conflicts – Strengthening Youth Leadership Collective (Sri Lanka)

Besides the financial support of 200,000 USD (to be divided equally across the 10 selected projects), award winners will benefit from professional project guidance from the BMW Group, UNAOC, and the business consulting firm Accenture. Recipients will also receive managerial and strategic project support and become part of the “Intercultural Leaders” network, which connects professionals and managers across the globe.

Videos describing each of the projects and organizations available here.