News – BeOpenFuture

BE OPEN celebrates the Designing Futures 2050 winners at the United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi

12 December 202519 December 2025Lilia Valieva

From December 8 to 12, BE OPEN attended the 7th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) held by the UN Environment Programme in Nairobi, Kenya. The foundation took that opportunity to reward and celebrate the winners of the Designing Futures 2050 competition finalized earlier this year.

UNEA is the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment, and it is critical for addressing the shared environmental threats. The Assembly brings together ministers, intergovernmental organizations, multilateral environmental agreements, the broader UN system, civil society groups, scientists, activists and the private sector to shape global environmental policy.

Celebrating World Futures Day in 2025!

2 December 20252 December 2025Lilia Valieva

In November 2021, the UNESCO General Conference unanimously adopted 2 December as “World Futures Day” (WFD). Over the years, key milestones recognizing the importance of anticipatory decision-making have been met, such as the Secretary General’s Our Common Agenda, the adoption of the Pact for the Future along with the Global Digital Compact and the Declaration on Future Generations.

BE OPEN Regional Art establishes partnerships for the Western Africa stage

19 November 202519 December 2025Lilia Valieva

The regional competition for emerging artists BE OPEN Regional Art, developed by Elena Baturina’s humanitarian think-tank BE OPEN, is proud to announce partnerships established for the Western African region.

BE OPEN Regional Art finishes the 2025 programme by continuing to select those artists whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities to feature them in the BE OPEN Art gallery and offer support and greater visibility. The 12th stage of the programme is covering Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

BE OPEN presents the winning projects of the Designing Future 2050 international student competition during COP30

19 November 202519 November 2025Lilia Valieva

On November 14^th, the fifth day of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), BE OPEN had an opportunity to present its work and report on the outcome of its latest student competition at the HiHouse studio in the Green zone of COP30.

BE OPEN presented video pitches by all five winners and winning teams of Designing Future 2050, the recently finalised global student competition encouraging young creatives to reframe and update the SDG agenda based on today’s realities. The project aimed to inspire them to go beyond the 2030 agenda, and actively participate in developing and implementing realistic and sustainable action plans favourable for their own future.

BE OPEN announces the winners of the Art Limitless competition, a celebration of inclusive arts and artists

14 November 202514 November 2025Lilia Valieva

Art Limitless is a new programme within the BE OPEN Art online gallery tailored specifically to display the competitions, webinars, master-classes and other sources of knowledge and guidance on sustainability in arts.

In 2025, the Art Limitless project within BE OPEN Art has been dedicated to inclusivity in arts. For the Art Limitless Competition, from May to October 2025, BE OPEN expert community have been researching and selecting artwork by artists with disabilities that demonstrate the beneficial power of creativity and inclusivity.

Elena Baturina receives the Visionary Award from the World Futures Studies Federation

4 November 202514 November 2025Lilia Valieva

The award was given on October 29 at the World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF) World Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.

At the opening plenary session, the WFSF President and Chairman of the Board of the World Futures Studies Federation Dr. Erik F. Øverland announced: “This recognition is given to Elena Baturina, Founder of the BE OPEN think-tank, for supporting young people’s creativity and initiatives in pursuit of a sustainable future. Elena Baturina and her think-tank are among those who try to accelerate the shift towards sustainable practices, while Elena is a consistent supporter of creative education, innovations and sustainable initiatives.”

Cypriot heritage celebrated through the history of fashion due to collaboration of BE OPEN and CVAR

21 October 202514 November 2025Lilia Valieva

On October 18^th a historic street of Nicosia became the stage for an open-air fashion show – the immersive experience that weaved a historical timeline of the island through garments and the everyday figures of street sellers. Co-organised by the BE OPEN Foundation and the Centre of Visual Arts and Research (CVAR), Here Come the Cypriots offered the public a unique window into Cyprus’s rich and ever evolving identity.

BE OPEN Regional Art competition congratulates the South American winners

5 October 202514 November 2025Lilia Valieva

For the BE OPEN Regional Art competition, July, August and September became the months of celebration of young South American artists whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities. The programme covered Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, French Guiana.

BE OPEN launches Design Equality with Innovation: competition for students and graduates focused on the UN Sustainable Development Programme

1 October 202514 November 2025Lilia Valieva

DESIGN EQUALITY with Innovation is the 7th international competition in the SDGs-focused programme by the socio-cultural initiative BE OPEN and its partners. The competition is open to students, graduates and young professionals. The competition aims to encourage creation of innovative solutions by younger creatives, for a more prosperous and sustainable future, and the focus of the competition is the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Programme.

BE OPEN celebrates tradition and creativity with the Cyprus Future Heritage Competition

2 September 202514 November 2025Lilia Valieva

BE OPEN Foundation has launched Cyprus Future Heritage Competition, an international competition for young artisans, artists, and designers, organized in collaboration with the Cyprus Handicraft Service of the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID).

The 2025 edition of the Cyprus Future Heritage Competition is dedicated to celebrating and reimagining Cyprus’s weaving and embroidering traditions, aiming to preserve cultural heritage while inspiring contemporary creative practices.