Saudi Arabia Joins the Global Children’s Design Competition to Foster Environmentally Sustainable Solutions:
The Global Children’s Designathon, a highly competitive event promoting creative thinking and environmentally sustainable solutions, took place on March 25th in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District. The Saudi Rukun Creative Exchange and Designathon Works, an educational and research organization in Amsterdam that focuses on sustainable development, worked together to bring this event to the region. Princess Noura Al-Saud, the co-founder of Rukun Creative Exchange, talked about how important it is to talk to kids about sustainability at a young age. She believes it will give them the tools they need to be change-makers in the future. Designathon Works aims to give the next generation the tools they need to make a more sustainable world by making it possible for children of all backgrounds, abilities, and races to take part in this conversation.
Inspiring a New Generation of Sustainability Innovators in Saudi Arabia
Designathon Work established the international design competition program in 2014. Since then, it has been known for having competitors from all over the world and from many different backgrounds. The children, who ranged in age from 8 to 12, were divided into nine groups and instructed first to conduct research and ideation. After this, they worked on deciding on the main concept and developing a tangible prototype that would show how it would function in the real world. Finally, they were to present their work to a panel of judges.
The work for Saturday was to figure out how to improve and restore biodiversity in the Kingdom. The students focused on coming up with new ways to protect ecosystems and create environmental problems in the world. Instead of a rating system, the designation had categories based on values: problem-solving, the bright mind, the young inventor, and team spirit. Hussam Al-Saud earned the young inventor prize for developing a robot that assisted in seeding agricultural areas. With solar panels, his method made use of the Saudi sun. He shared that he supported the Kingdom’s 2030 Vision for a Greener Future. Team One, which placed a high priority on the protection of the desert’s animals, won the problem-solving champ award.
During the GCD, the students’ presentations and ability to work together impressed the judges. Children can use this curriculum to learn new skills and think critically about how to improve the environment for a better future. The GCD is in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and programs, as well as the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. The Rukun Creative Exchange also said it plans to hold this event in the future, which will help teach kids more about sustainability.
Takeaways
The Global Children’s Designathon is a motivating program that supports creative thinking and environmentally sustainable solutions for the next generation of inventors. The Kingdom’s participation in the GCD shows that a new generation of sustainability creators is rising in the country. Through events like these, kids learn useful skills and gain the power to become change-makers for a brighter, more sustainable future.
