Zayed Prize Sees Record Submissions for 2027 Awards

The Zayed Sustainability Prize received over 10,000 submissions from 177 countries for its 2027 awards cycle, marking the highest participation in the prize’s 18-year history. The United Arab Emirates initiative recognizes innovative solutions addressing global challenges in Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools.

Submissions increased by 32% from the previous year, demonstrating growing momentum for locally led and scalable innovations. A significant portion of entries, over two-thirds, came from developing and emerging economies, including strong representation from Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Kenya, and the UAE itself.

Climate Action garnered the most submissions, followed by Food and Health. The prize has already positively impacted more than 411 million lives through its 139 past winners. A Selection Committee will now evaluate entries, with winners announced in January 2027 and receiving awards ranging from $25,000 to $1 million.