The Zayed Sustainability Prize, an initiative in the United Arab Emirates, has reached a milestone with a record-breaking 10,233 submissions from 177 countries for its 2027 awards cycle. This represents a notable 32% increase compared to the previous year. The prize is dedicated to acknowledging groundbreaking projects that tackle global issues across several vital sectors, including climate action, health, food, energy, water, and global high schools.
In the upcoming awards cycle, winners in the categories of climate, health, food, energy, and water will each be awarded $1 million. Additionally, finalists in these categories will receive $150,000. The prize also extends to global high schools, where six winning institutions will each receive $150,000, and finalists will be granted $25,000 each.
Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the Director General, emphasized that the unprecedented level of participation underscores a growing global appetite for practical and innovative solutions aimed at enhancing quality of life. Notably, more than two-thirds of the applications originated from developing and emerging economies, with climate action attracting the most entries.
As the competition progresses, the finalists are set to be announced in September. The culmination of the awards cycle will occur on January 12, 2027, when the winners will be celebrated at a prestigious ceremony.