KARACHI - The Creatives for Our Future programme, which seeks to identify and accelerate the next generation of Pakistani and global creative leaders in sustainability, is now open for applications until 16th October 2024. The programme is run by the Swarovski Foundation in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnership and offers winners mentorship from industry leaders and a €20,000 fund.
The programme is open to young creatives worldwide, aged 21 to 30, from a multitude of disciplines including fashion, design, art, architecture, and engineering. Successful applicants should be working on an original project or product that uses the creative process to drive awareness, technology or solutions for sustainable development and drives progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations. To date, the programme has supported 21 projects in innovative design, founded and initiated by young creatives, who have ground-breaking ideas for addressing the world’s sustainability and development challenges. The programme has enabled them to develop and scale their projects - either with funds to build on their research, or through mentorship and networking opportunities to unlock new directions.
The programme was crucial to the success of previous winners:
Namra Khalid (Pakistan) - Karachi Cartography
Namra Khalid is repatriating historic maps of Pakistan from Western countries to improve socio-climatic planning in her home country. Namra, founder of Karachi Cartography, was recognised for her efforts in finding innovative solutions to the acute impacts of climate change that Pakistan was facing, namely flooding and heatwaves. Thanks to the funding the programme offered, as well as industry networking opportunities, Namra has collected over 1,500 maps for Karachi Cartography’s map repository and is expecting another 3,500 to be returned. She has also been able to create the first-ever conceptual map of Karachi’s pre-human environment, which will serve as a baseline for future environmental assessments and promote sustainable urban planning that will increase resilience against climate change.
M. Hassamuddin (Pakistan) - Air Con
Hassam’s innovative product, geo-Air Con, leverages stable temperatures underground to reduce the use of non-renewable energy to combat global warming. With the programme’s support, he has refined the product through multiple models and scaled it up for application in other sectors such as agriculture. Jakhya Rahman-Corey, Director of the Swarovski Foundation said: “Now in its fourth year, we are excited to open applications to the Swarovski Foundation Creatives for Our Future programme and nurture the next generation of inspiring talent from Pakistan and globally.
“The Swarovski Foundation’s mission is to promote sustainable livelihoods through education to reduce inequality. With the Creatives for Our Future programme, we can harness this through young creative talent seeking to break innovative ground and spearhead new approaches and ideas in sustainable development. “Having so far received more than 1500 applications from 92 countries, and supported 21 cohort members, it showcases that creativity has the power to solve global challenges and achieve sustainability goals. The Swarovski Foundation is looking forward to welcoming this year’s applications to turn their ideas into reality through access to education, resources, and a vital support network”.
This year, six successful applicants will receive financial support of €20,000, along with an education programme in collaboration with top international institutions, tailored one-on-one mentorship, and industry networking opportunities to advance their innovation and career. Entries for this year’s programme are open from the 3rd September 2024 until 16th October 2024 (3:59 am PKT) at www.sfcreatives.org. Successful applicants will be notified and announced publicly in April 2025 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
