UNIDO Global Call: Creative Orange Economy – Innovating the Future

Global Call, which began in 2020 and marks its sixth year this year, is UNIDO’s flagship annual event where companies with innovative solutions to global challenges are recognized and awarded.

Through this event, UNIDO identifies technologies that can be leveraged for sustainable industrial development in developing countries, while companies showcase their technical expertise and innovation on the international stage, simultaneously contributing to SDGs and engaging in partnerships to address various societal and environmental challenges.

Each year, UNIDO ITPOs worldwide sequentially organize the Global Call event, selecting themes that align with the local and global contexts and inviting companies with innovative technologies to participate. This year, UNIDO ITPO Bahrain will host the Global Call 2025 under the theme “Creative Orange Economy: Innovating the Future”

Aims

• The UNIDO Global Call 2025 on Creative Orange Economy: Innovating the Future aims to celebrate and promote innovation, creativity, and sustainability within the creative industries.

Categories

• Eco-friendly Production:
  • This category aims to celebrate and support efforts to make the creative industries more sustainable. By highlighting innovative and effective eco-friendly production practices, it encourages participants to think critically about their environmental impact and to develop solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future.
  • Description:
    • This category focuses on the development and implementation of sustainable practices in the production of creative works. It includes:
      • Sustainable Materials: Use of eco-friendly, recycled, or upcycled materials in the creation of art, fashion, design, and other creative products.
      • Green Production Processes: Implementation of environmentally friendly production methods that reduce waste, conserve energy, and minimize carbon footprints.
      • Eco-conscious Design: Designing products with sustainability in mind, ensuring they are durable, reusable, or biodegradable.
  • Objectives
    • Promote Sustainable Practices: Encourage the adoption of sustainable practices in the creative industries to reduce environmental impact.
    • Innovate in Eco-friendly Production: Inspire creative professionals to develop new methods and materials that are environmentally friendly.
    • Raise Awareness: Increase awareness about the importance of sustainability in the creative process and its impact on the environment.
• Digital Innovation:
  • This category aims to celebrate the innovative use of technology in the creative industries, encouraging participants to explore new possibilities and create groundbreaking digital experiences. By highlighting the intersection of creativity and technology, this category seeks to inspire the next generation of digital innovators.
  • Description:
    • This category focuses on the innovative use of technology to create new forms of digital content and experiences. It includes:
      • Digital Media: This encompasses a wide range of content created and distributed through digital platforms, such as digital art, animation, video production, and multimedia storytelling. Digital media leverages technology to enhance creativity and reach a global audience.
      • Gaming: This involves the design and development of video games, which can range from simple mobile games to complex, immersive experiences on consoles and PCs. Gaming combines elements of storytelling, art, music, and interactive design to create engaging and entertaining experiences.
      • Virtual Reality (VR): VR technology creates fully immersive environments that users can interact with using special headsets and controllers. This can be used for gaming, virtual tours, educational simulations, and artistic installations, providing a sense of presence and immersion that traditional media cannot.
      • Augmented Reality (AR): AR overlays digital content onto the real world through devices like smartphones, tablets, and AR glasses. This technology enhances the physical environment with interactive elements, such as 3D models, animations, and information overlays, blending the digital and physical worlds.
  • Objectives:
    • Foster Innovation in Digital Content Creation: Encourage the development of new and creative digital content that pushes the boundaries of what is possible with current technology.
    • Support the Development of New Digital Tools and Platforms: Promote the creation of innovative tools and platforms that can be used by other creators to enhance their work.
    • Encourage the Use of Technology to Solve Creative Industry Challenges: Inspire participants to use technology to address and solve problems within the creative industries, such as accessibility, distribution, and audience engagement.
• Cultural Heritage and Trade:
  • This category aims to celebrate and support efforts to preserve and promote cultural heritage through creative means. By highlighting the importance of cultural heritage, this category encourages participants to engage with and sustain the traditions and practices that define their cultural identities. It also promotes the idea that cultural heritage can be a source of innovation and economic development, particularly through sustainable and ethical tourism initiatives.
  • Description:
    • This category is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage through creative and innovative means. It includes:
      • Crafts: This involves traditional and contemporary handmade items, such as textiles, pottery, jewelry, and woodworking. Crafts often reflect the cultural identity and heritage of a community, preserving techniques and designs passed down through generations.
      • Cultural Tourism: This focuses on promoting and enhancing tourism experiences that are rooted in cultural heritage. It includes the development of heritage sites, cultural tours, and experiences that allow visitors to engage with and learn about the cultural history and traditions of a place.
  • Objectives:
    • Preserve and Revitalize Traditional Cultural Practices: Encourage the documentation and continuation of traditional practices that are at risk of being lost. This includes supporting artisans and cultural practitioners in maintaining their crafts and traditions.
    • Promote Cultural Diversity and Heritage Tourism: Highlight the richness and diversity of cultural heritage around the world. Promote tourism initiatives that are respectful and beneficial to local communities, providing economic opportunities while preserving cultural integrity.
    • Encourage Sustainable and Ethical Cultural Heritage Projects: Support projects that use sustainable methods and materials, ensuring that cultural heritage preservation does not harm the environment. Promote ethical practices that respect the rights and contributions of local communities.
• School and university students:
  • This category is designed to nurture the next generation of creative thinkers and innovators by providing young students at both the school and university levels with the tools and opportunities to explore their talents and ideas. By engaging students in creative activites, they aim to inspire a lifelong love for the arts and innovation, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, and offering a platorm for self-expression and development.
  • School and university students are encouraged to select one of the three main categories (Eco-friendly Production, Digital Innovation, and Cultural Heritage) and submit their applications.

Benefits and Awards

• Flight and accommodation for the final 10 teams pitching to be held in Bahrain/Saudia Arabia (to be confirmed)
• An award certificate from UNIDO ITPO Bahrain
• Online incubation at UNIDO ITPO Bahrain for 3-6months with startup and growth business counseling/mentoring services to further develop idea into a bankable project

Eligibility Criteria

• The competition is open to participants worldwide, encouraging diverse and inclusive participation across three main categories: Ecofriendly Production, Digital Innovation, and Cultural Heritage. Additionally, there are special categories for school and university students to foster young talent.

For more information, visit UNIDO.