The Alfred Herrhausen Society, the international forum of Deutsche Bank, has announced the seventh Deutsche Bank Urban Age Award, which this year looks to recognise exemplary projects which are improving the quality of life and urban environment in the wider Delhi area.
The $100,000 award was set-up to recognise and celebrate creative solutions to the problems and opportunities that face more than half the world’s population now living in cities. The award focuses on projects that use partnerships to benefit communities and local residents by improving their urban environments. It seeks to encourage citizens, policy-makers, private business and non-governmental organisations to take a proactive role in creating shared responsibilities for the cities of the 21st century – mankind’s first truly ‘urban’ age.
Since Mumbai, the award has travelled to Sao Paulo in 2008, Istanbul in 2009, Mexico City in 2010, Cape Town in 2012 and most recently to Rio de Janeiro in 2013. Winning projects have included, amongst others, community centres in low-income neighbourhoods in Mexico City, childcare shelters and recycling initiatives in Cape Town, and a housing improvement project in Sao Paulo.
The award is adjudicated by an independent jury following an open call for applications. The call for applications for the Delhi award opens on 29th May and closes on 15th August 2014.
Thomas Matussek, Managing Director of the Alfred Herrhausen Society says about the opportunities for Delhi: “In the last 20 years Delhi has grown into one of the biggest metropolitan areas on earth. At the same time, however, the number of challenges facing the city has also grown exponentially. Today hundreds of private citizens and social initiatives are active in neighbourhoods, bastis, formal and informal settlements to help people in the city. The Deutsche Bank Urban Age Award is a great opportunity to appreciate and honour these unsung heroes of our time.”
For more information on the award, click here.
