Zayed Prize drive to provide solar lanterns in 5 nations
‘The Guiding Light campaign reflects Sheikh Zayed’s humanitarian vision and the Prize’s dedication to delivering tangible solutions to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. The campaign provides an opportunity to raise the profile of our Prize winners,’ says Dr Lamya Fawwaz (left), Director of the Zayed Sustainability Prize
ABU DHABI: The Zayed Sustainability Prize, the UAE’S pioneering global award for recognising innovative sustainable solutions, has launched the “Guiding Light” campaign to bring solar lanterns to off-grid communities around the world.
Each milestone of the one-month campaign, which will run across ive countries, will reveal a 20mx20m light installation comprising 2,000 solar lanterns, arranged and lit up to reveal the Zayed Sustainability Prize logo. After each light up event, the lanterns will be donated to off-grid communities around the world.
Following the irst reveal of “Guiding Light” in Bahrain, the 2,000 solar lanterns will be shipped to Indonesia and distributed amongst communities that have been affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami.
The launch event was held in partnership with Bahrain Bayan School, a 2018 Global High Schools (GHS) Category winner, while Kopernik, a 2016 Prize Winner, will undertake the distribution in Indonesia, where they will beneit more than 1,179 households and 5,112 people in the villages of Tompe, in Donggala, and Jono Oge, in Sigi.
Commenting on the Guiding Light campaign, Dr Lamya Fawwaz, Director of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said: “The Guiding Light campaign relects Sheikh Zayed’s humanitarian vision and the Prize’s dedication to delivering tangible solutions to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. By partnering with our growing network of Prize winners, who will help administer the solar lanterns – which will provide not only light to homes and medical clinics in rural areas, but also the safety and greater opportunities that come with light – the campaign provides an opportunity to raise the profile of our Prize winners, and further extend their impact.”
Following the launch in Bahrain, the Guiding Light campaign will move on to Bolivia, where the Prize team will work closely with 2017 Global High Schools (GHS) winner Unidad Educativa Sagrado Corazon 4. In Bangladesh, the collaboration is with the inaugural Prize winner, Dipal Barua and, in Kenya, with 2013 Prize winner d.light. The campaign will conclude with an event in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, on 9th January 2019.
Commenting on the launch event, Jassim Al Shirawi, Member of the Board of Trustees at Bahrain Bayan School, said: “The Bahrain Bayan School is proud to represent the Kingdom of Bahrain in this prestigious campaign and to highlight the impact it will have on lives around the world. Importantly, the Prize – and now this campaign – contributes significantly to raising awareness about sustainable concepts and technologies, youth empowerment, and instilling a mindset of contributing towards making a better world and future for all. The Prize’s impact can be measured in terms of how it continues to direct the attention of Governments, companies and individuals toward such noble objectives.”
Prize winner in 2018, Bahrain Bayan School, a K-12, non-profit, bilingual school, has already put its winning prize fund to use and is nearing the completion of developing its award-winning solution. Its education platform, entitled Ecolab 360, teaches students and the wider community about sustainable practices and technologies.
Following the evolution of the Zayed Sustainability Prize from the Zayed Future Energy Prize, it is now more closely aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UAE National Agenda 2021. Over the last decade, a total of 66 winners have received the Prize and have, directly and indirectly, provided a positive impact on the lives of over 307 million people around the world.
Winners of the next annual Zayed Sustainability Prize will be announced at the awards ceremony, held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, on 14th January 2019.