Global initiative to foster creativity and innovation
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.
On November 14th, 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.
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.
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.”
On October 18th 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.
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.
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 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.
BE OPEN REVEALS THE WINNERS OF THE DESIGING FUTURES 2050 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
NewsAnyway
June 2025
DESIGNING FUTURES 2050: ANNUNCIATI I VINCITORI DEL CONCORSO INTERNAZIONALE PER STUDENTI DI SOLUZIONI SOSTENIBILI
RisorgimentoNocerino
June 2025
BE OPEN REVEALS THE WINNERS OF THE DESIGNING FUTURES 2050 INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
The Daily Guardian
June 2025
BE OPEN ANNOUNCES THE WINNERS OF DESIGNING FUTURES 2050: INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION FOR YOUNG CREATIVES CENTERED ON THE UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
ANP PressPortal
June 2025
STUDENTS AWARDED BY BE OPEN FOR TAKING ACTION IN PURSUIT OF A BETTER WORLD
EdTechRCE
July 2025
ANNUAL COMPETITIONS THAT AWARD STUDENTS FOR STRIVING FOR A BETTER FUTURE: A CONVERSATION WITH ELENA BATURINA, FOUNDER OF A PHILANTHROPIC THINK-TANK
Impact Wealth
July 2025
STUDENTS DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES WITH BE OPEN THINK-TANK AND FOUNDER ELENA BATURINA
European Energy Reporters
July 2025
STUDENTS DESIGNING SUSTAINABLE FUTURES WITH BE OPEN THINK-TANK
EU Policies
July 2025
BE OPEN Art continues to run BE OPEN Regional Art, the regional competition for emerging artists aimed to support those whose art best represents their regional, cultural and ethnic identities, for the third year now. In 2025, the BE OPEN expert community continues selecting those artists who best represent the artistic tradition of a certain region to feature in the BE OPEN Art gallery and offer them greater visibility.
The third stage of the third year of the programme will cover the countries of South America: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Venezuela, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, French Guiana.
