Brazil’s “Politize Ambassadors Program: Promoting Civic Empowerment for All” Project Receives UNAOC-BMW Group Intercultural Innovation Award


DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The “Ambassadors Program: Promoting Civic Empowerment for All” project of the Politize! Civic Education Institute in Brazil was selected as one of ten global grassroots initiatives to receive the prestigious Intercultural Innovation Award from the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the BMW Group, during an Awards Ceremony held last night at the German Pavilion of the Dubai EXPO 2020, within the margins of the thematic week on Tolerance and Inclusivity. The selection process was highly competitive, with over 1,100 applications received from 120 countries.

Ambassadors Program Politize! provides knowledge and training to build a new generation of citizens who are aware of, and committed to, democracy. The project selects thousands of young people every year to empower them to develop civic education workshops and public solutions for their own community’s issues, thus forming new civic leaders and positively impacting public policies through Brazil.

“This award means more than 3 years of believing and working on a single purpose: the possibility of creating a plural society, aware of and committed to democracy. It represents the effort of more than 5000 people who believe in a society based on knowledge, plurality, and empathy – a society that will build a full Brazilian democracy,” said the project’s Leadership Training Manager, Vinícius Zunino.

Every year, the Intercultural Innovation Award supports grassroots initiatives that promote intercultural dialogue and understanding, thereby contributing to peace, cultural diversity, and more inclusive societies. This year, the Awards Ceremony was chaired by the High Representative for UNAOC and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, H.E. Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and Ms. Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Human Resources at BMW Group.

In addition to a financial grant, Politize! will receive one year of capacity-building and mentorship support from UNAOC, the BMW Group and Accenture to help strengthen the “Ambassadors Program: Promoting Civic Empowerment for All” project and ensure its sustainable growth. This model of collaboration between the United Nations and the private sector creates a more profound impact, as partners provide their respective expertise to ensure the sustainable growth of each supported project.

Learn more about the project:
https://interculturalinnovation.org/politize-ambassadors-program/

Media inquiries:
- Ms. Milena Pighi, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility, BMW Group: Phone: +49-89-382-66563; Email: Milena.PA.Pighi@bmw.de  
- Mr. Alessandro Girola, Programming Coordinator, UNAOC: Phone: +1 (929) 274-6217; Email: alessandrog@unops.org