On June 22, 2023 the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the Summit for a New Global Financial Pact in Paris, France. In the conclusion of his speech, he said the following words meant specifically for the younger generations:
“My generation has clearly failed in many respects – especially on the climate crisis. I count on your generation to keep turning up the heat on global leaders. Hold the powerful accountable. Sound the alarm. Stand up for each other and our planet, and human rights. And build a better future – rooted in solidarity, equality and sustainability.”
Designing Futures 2050 became our sixth international competition for students, graduates, and young professionals within the programme to support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The competition programme was established by BE OPEN in 2019 to raise awareness among young professionals in creative and engineering fields about the urgent need for action regarding the Sustainable Development Goals. Prior to this one, BE OPEN has held 5 competitions and covered SDGs 2, 7, 11, 12, and 13.
Designing Futures 2050 sought to spotlight practical applications of sustainable principles by encouraging creative minds to contribute to a global shift toward responsible development. The competition encouraged participants to reinterpret the SDGs in light of present-day realities and propose actionable, scalable strategies. Entrants could submit their work under three thematic categories: Battling the Problems of Today, Creating the Visions of Tomorrow, Adjusting the SDGs.
Elena Baturina, Founder of BE OPEN, commented on the finalisation of the competition: “For six consecutive years, BE OPEN has championed the UN SDGs through global student design and innovation challenges. Every year, we receive hundreds of remarkable, insightful, and imaginative submissions from young creatives across the globe. This continuous engagement confirms our belief that educating and inspiring youth is the most effective route toward impactful change. Our mission is to nurture a generation capable of addressing future challenges through creativity, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration.”
