The BMW Group in partnership with UNAOC in support of the Alliance of Civilizations has announced the launch of Award for Intercultural Innovation aimed at identifying the most innovative grassroots projects that encourage intercultural exchange around the world.
In this context, applications are invited from brave initiatives that dare to think outside the box, rethinking intercultural work and making an important use of new methods to promote intercultural understanding and cooperation. The Award represents a unique platform for civil society organizations committed to the promotion of cultural diversity and understanding.
The first UNAOC-BMW Group Award Ceremony will take place in Doha, Qatar in December 2011, during the IVth Annual Forum of the UNAOC held in the presence of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and world leaders. A highly competitive selection process has been set in place to guarantee that projects are selected for outstanding achievement in creativity, excellence and proven positive impact.
Eligibility Criteria
- Projects implemented by Civil Society Organizations (CSO).
- Projects must have an intercultural approach to diversity
- Field of action must fall within one of the following thematic clusters: migration and integration; intercultural awareness; education for intercultural citizenship; the role of specific groups (faith-based; women; youth; media) in promoting intercultural understanding.
- Projects must implement new approaches and methods to intercultural understanding.
- Preference will be given to small-scale projects with the potential to create a broader impact (implemented by organizations with 20 or less employees).
- Willingness to develop ideas and expand the range of action of the project with the UNAOC, the BMW Group and other partners.
- Projects cannot have been winners in previous editions of the UNAOC Marketplace of Ideas or BMW Group Awards. Winners of past editions can submit different projects, however.
- Organizations must have been operational for a minimum of 2 years.
- Projects submitted within this call should have been launched already for 12 months minimum.
- Projects can be implemented in any language.
Awards
A total amount of 50,000 USD will be split among the ten winners of the Award at the occasion of the Awards ceremony in Doha in December 2011.
In addition, selected projects will become members of the World Intercultural Facility for Innovation (WIFI), a program of the UNAOC in collaboration with the BMW Group. The goal of the WIFI is to connect inspiring grassroots projects with media, donors, governments and other partners in order to help them in scaling up, replicating and achieving a broader and greater impact.
Based on a case to case needs assessment, winners will receive during one year active guidance and support from the WIFI team in order to replicate and scale up their projects. They will also benefit from partner organizations that will sponsor Awardees in collaboration with the UNAOC and the BMW Group. This support may vary depending on the nature of the project and may include IT support, legal advice, increasing visibility, etc.
Last date for submission of applications is October 16, 2011
For more information, visit this link.
