As an extension of the Swarovski organization, the Swarovski Foundation has continued to foster and grow young talent with its Creatives for Our Future Program. Swarovski Foundation Creatives for Our Future is a global mentorship and grant program designed with advisor the United Nations Office for Partnerships to identify and accelerate the next generation of creative leaders in sustainable development. The Foundation, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Partnerships announced the latest cohort and advocates for the second year for the program. The program received over 230 submissions for young creatives across 52 countries worldwide and announced the six cohorts during a special reception with program advocates at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City in September.
The six successful grant recipients, whose areas of expertise span across sustainable fashion and textiles, engineering, product design and biotechnologies were chosen for their groundbreaking ideas and innovative approaches, which offer new methods for addressing today’s challenges from social inequality, climate change and unsustainable consumption and production. Their commitment to driving progress towards the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set out by the United Nations for a better world set them apart.
The Swarovski Foundation Creatives for Our Future cohort for 2022 includes:
-Noemi Florea | Designer and Writer (United States)
-Hassamuddin | Engineer and Eco-Innovator (Pakistan)
-Joshua Ichor | Geoscientist and Entrepreneur (Nigeria)
-Aradhita Parasrampuria | Design Textile and Sustainable Materials Researcher (United States)
-Florencia Valladares | Computer Engineer (Chile)
-Charlotte Werth | Textile and Fashion Designer (United Kingdom)
The successful recipients will each receive a €20,000 grant, paired with an educational program in collaboration with top institutions, tailored mentorship, and industry networking access with guidance from the Swarovski Foundation. The program advocates, leaders in their field, engage as master teachers and mentors for the cohort with the aim to empower their vision and develop their practices to contribute to positive change for public good, the environment and society.
“This year’s interest from young talents worldwide on the Creatives for our Future program confirms the strong commitment from younger generations to use creativity and innovation to raise awareness and find solutions to drive sustainable development. I am excited to follow the journey of the cohort and see their positive impact. We are grateful to the United Nations Office for Partnerships and our program advocates for their collaboration and expertise towards this program.” – Swarovski Foundation Chair, Marisa Schiestl-Swarovski
“Creatives for Our Future provides an opportunity for co-creation of sustainable solutions to better our planet and our communities. We need young global leaders to harness their creativity to lay a foundation for new ideas and pathways to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals. We welcome this year’s cohort in collaboration with the Swarovski Foundation.” – Annemarie Hou, Executive Director of the United Nations Office for Partnerships
Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Swarovski Foundation