Big Ideas Competition for Sustainable Cities Launches in South East Asia

WE Online, Jakarta - The Government of the Republic of Korea and the United Nations announce the launch of the Big Ideas Competition for Sustainable Cities and Urban Communities. The competition is looking for data­driven solutions to advance basic service delivery, sustainable transport & energy, resilience to natural disasters & climate change, and  harmonious urban environments.

Residents of ASEAN countries as well as the Republic of Korea are encouraged to enter the competition. The deadline for submissions is ?3 June 2016?. Applicants will compete for 11 country­specific prizes, three excellence prizes and one grand prize, with the total prize fund  standing at over US$35,000.

"Engaging citizens at the forefront of collaborative design is at the core of our innovations work. Given the complexities of challenges that cities  in Asia are faced with, we need to encourage as well as give recognition to citizens' ideas and insights in developing the next generation of innovations," says Nicholas Rosellini, UNDP's Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific and Director of the Bangkok Regional Hub, Monday (2/5/2016).

"I was very impressed by the ideas submitted last year, especially the breadth of creativity and the enthusiasm of respondents. Working with citizens to address big societal challenges is an important approach to public policy, so we are delighted to be involved in the Big Ideas Competition once again," says Derval Usher, Head of the United Nations Global Pulse Lab in Jakarta.

The Big Ideas Competition for Sustainable Cities is a collaboration between the Korea Association for ICT Promotion, the Korea Big Data Alliance, the Ministry of Science, ICT and  Future Planning of the Republic of Korea, the National Information Society Agency of the  Republic of Korea, the United Nations Development Programme Asia and the Pacific, United  Nations Volunteers, and the United Nations Global Pulse Lab in Jakarta, with support from  the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Government of Australia.