Join the Global Design Challenge for Sport and Physical Activity 2021
June 18, 2021
A worldwide search is underway for ambitious and innovative ideas to get people physically active following a year of restrictions that has seen participation levels plummet. Run by the University College Cork - Ireland, in collaboration with Sport Ireland and UNESCO, The Global Design Challenge for Sport and Physical Activity 2021 is open for registrations through June 27.
The challenge is intended to support the creation and development of ideas from around the world that enable people of all ages and abilities to lead active healthy lives. It is free to enter and development grants of up to €10,000 will be awarded to the best concepts and winning teams, with mentors and partner organisations ready to help turn the ideas into tangible campaigns and initiatives.
In 2020, nearly 200 teams entered the Global Design Challenge, but this year, with the sponsorship of Sport Ireland, they are also looking for individuals, groups and organisations to take part.
The Grand Challenge is to design innovative ways of increasing participation in sport and physical activity in an inclusive, sustainable and fun way. There are also eight sub-challenges:
- Inclusion - Increase opportunities for engagement in physical activity ensuring that it is accessible to everyone of any ability, age, race or socio-economic background -
- Community - Inspire community-level engagement in physical activity for all ages
- Fans and volunteers - Bring participants, volunteers and fans back to sport and physical activity
- Policy-based - Use sport as a means to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals in a practical way
- Sustainability - Reimagine sport and physical activity (e.g., space and place, funding models) to make it more sustainable and resilient to shocks and change
- Youth-based - Motivate children and youth to engage in sport and physical activity, that leads to life-long interest
- Technology-based - Harness technology to radically change the way sport and physical activity are imagined
- Lifestyle physical activity - Integrate sport and physical activity into leisure and lifestyle activities (e.g., cycling for transport, gardening for food security)
The competition portion runs from June 21-27, with judging taking place June 28 - 30. Submissions will be judged according to creativity and innovation, impact on the identified challenge and in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and finally, the feasibility of successful practical implementation of the idea.
Learn more at gdc2021.devpost.com.