[ AWARDS ]
HONORING LEADERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
THE WORLD INNOVATION AWARD 2024
Every September , one of the central events in the field of sustainable development takes place – ceremony of the prestigious World Innovation Award , which honors leaders of the developing world who have made an outstanding personal contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals – the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all – through a systematic effort to implement innovative solutions . Jeffrey D . Sachs , one of the initiators and authors of the SDGs , whose interview you can find in this issue of WEJ , calls them “ the supreme test of politics ”.
The World Innovation Award is organized by the World Organization for Development ( WOD ), an international non-governmental organization with Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council ( 2014 ), Member of the United Nations Global Compact ( 2016 ). The Global Initiatives implemented by WOD to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals have been recognized by the United Nations twice ( in 2015 and 2021 ) as the world ’ s best practices .
The award boasts a star-studded jury that includes a Nobel laureate , former heads of UN organizations , and other leading global experts in the field of sustainable development .
The award specifically highlights the achievements of urban leaders , including mayors and heads of organizations responsible for areas crucial to city development . This is because the battle for SDGs is fought primarily in cities , and the modern world can rightfully be called the world of cities . The world is undergoing rapid urbanization , with the global urban population projected to rise from 56 % in 2021 to 68 % by 2050 . All regions of the world will become more urbanized ; therefore , the sustainable future of the world largely depends on urban leaders .
The World Organization for Development has bestowed upon WEJ the honor of unveiling the list of nominees for the 2024 World Innovation Awards . The winners will be announced on September , 19 at Award Ceremony at BRICS Urban Future Forum and on the official website of WOD , unwod . org
76 WEJ | September 2024