São Paulo – The Consulate General of the United Arab Emirates in São Paulo and the Zayed Sustainability Prize held an event on Tuesday (20) in São Paulo to promote the award and increase the participation of Brazilian institutions in its 17th edition. During the event, the UAE Consul General in São Paulo, Abdalla Shaheen, said Brazilian participants have the potential to stand out.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize recognizes the best initiatives that foster improvements in the quality of life of the communities they serve. The awards are given in the categories of Water, Energy, Health, Climate Action, Food, and Global High Schools. The winner in each main category receives USD 1 million. For Global High Schools, which are divided into six geographical regions, a total of USD 900,000 is allocated—USD 150,000 for each winning high school.
Small and medium-sized enterprises, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions are eligible to apply. In 2024, the prize received 5,980 applications from institutions in 156 countries, including Brazil.
According to information from the Zayed Sustainability Prize, applying institutions must emphasize the value proposition of their project in their application and demonstrate how many people the project can impact both at the time of application and if awarded the US$1 million prize.
According to information from the Zayed Sustainability Prize, applying institutions must emphasize the value proposition of their project in their application and demonstrate how many people the project can impact both at the time of application and if awarded the USD 1 million prize.
Non-governmental organization Expedicionários da Saúde (EDS) participated in the event. Based in Campinas, São Paulo state, EDS provides healthcare services to indigenous communities in the Amazon. It was awarded by the UAE initiative in 2023.
According to Marcelo Lopes de Moraes, Marketing Manager at EDS, the organization was able, after winning in its category, to invest in technology and equipment, such as a mobile surgical center for cataract operations. Indigenous people, explained the EDS representative, have a higher tendency to develop cataracts due to prolonged sun exposure, and hernias because of the heavy loads they carry.
According to Marcelo Lopes de Moraes, Marketing Manager at EDS, the organization was able, after winning in its category, to invest in technology and equipment, such as a mobile surgical center for cataract operations. Indigenous people, explained the EDS representative, have a higher tendency to develop cataracts due to prolonged sun exposure, and hernias because of the heavy loads they carry.
“Besides the financial , the award brought us visibility. We have already been to [UAE capital] Abu Dhabi three times as guests. This exposure also helps our initiative,” Moraes told ANBA.
The award for EDS, however, did not come on their first attempt. Starting at the end of the pandemic, the organization began participating in international competitions to gain visibility for their work. They applied for the Zayed Sustainability Prize in 2021 but were not selected as finalists. They made another attempt the following year, when they finally became the winner in the health category. “Believe in your project. We believe in ours,” Moraes said at the event. The Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) was represented at the event by Vice President of Marketing, Silvia Antibas.
The registration form and more information are available here.
Read more:
Applications open for Zayed Sustainability Prize
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
