About the award

Applications are now open for the Global Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Okayama Award 2025. Conducted by the Okayama City and ESD Okayama Award Steering Committee, the award recognizes outstanding ESD practices in local communities worldwide, supporting organizations that promote access to education by showcasing their ESD initiatives.

Details

Deadline: May 31, 2025 (17:00 JST)

Awarding institution: Okayama City Steering Committee

Prizes: up to two for two award-winning projects

Award ceremony:  October 21, 2025, in conjunction with the 14th Global RCE Conference in Okayama City (hosted by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Okayama City, and the Okayama ESD Promotion Commission).

Organizers

• ESD Okayama Award Steering Board and Okayama City
• The ESD Okayama Award Steering Board is composed of the following organizations:
• United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS)
• UNESCO Bangkok
• Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU)
• Japan Council on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD-J)
• The Goi Peace Foundation
• Okayama ESD Promotion Commission

Award value: 3,000 US$ for each winning project

※ The prize money is expected to be used to expand the project.

Other benefits

One representative of the successful project will be invited to the award presentation ceremony in Okayama, Japan, and requested to deliver a presentation on the project.

You may apply

•  Global Development Awards Competition 2025 for Researchers (355,000 USD in Funding)
• 19th Japan international manga award
• Global Peace Photo Award- Children’s Peace Image of the Year Competition 2025
• RIBA Norman Foster Scholarships 2025 for International Architecture Students (£7,000 award)
• Zonta Women in Business Leadership Award

Eligibilities

• The award is open to organizations in all countries, including Japan, working to implement ESD activities in local communities to promote access to education and contribute to sustainable development.
• Submitted projects must be ongoing and operational for at least 2 years as of April 2022 (not be projects in the planning phase).
• Each organization can only submit one application.
• Organizations with previous winning projects cannot apply but applying with another project is eligible.

How to apply?

Interested applicants should review the Application Guide and download the Application Form (Draft), and prepare any additional documents or photographs you wish to include; then, you can proceed to submit your application through the designated online platform. Follow the following Steps to Complete Your Online Application:

Step 1: Temporary Registration
Visit the Temporary Registration page and enter your organization’s email address. An automated confirmation email will be sent to you.

Step 2: Application Submission
Using the link provided in the automated email, complete the Application Form online.
※ Please ensure your responses align with the Application Form (Draft) as a reference.

Step 3: Temporary Acceptance Notification
Upon successful submission, you will receive an automated email confirming the temporary acceptance of your application.

Step 4: Final Confirmation
A follow-up email from the Secretariat will confirm the final completion of your application process.

Application documents:

• ESD Okayama Award 2025 Application Form in English or Japanese
• A video or slide show of your project (5 minutes or less)
• Other supporting documents (not more than 5 pages)

Selection criteria:

Vision: Outlining local issues for realizing a sustainable society with clear objectives.

Collaboration: a clear implementation structure with various collaborating stakeholders
(individuals and organizations).
Integration:  The project integrates environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
Innovation:  demonstrating innovative approaches and methods to promote ESD.
Status of
Implementation: demonstrate  a track record of activities and documentation including feedback and
evaluation of audiences and stakeholders.
Empowerment: taking educational approaches such as interactive methods for problem-solving and promoting actions to shape a sustainable future that lead to behavior change of individuals, including the transformation of values, attitudes and actions, and to the empowerment of local communities.
Future Strategy:   to be expanded in the future and bring positive influences to other communities as well.

For questions concerning the application, you may contact:

ESD Okayama Award Secretariat (at SDGs & ESD Promotion Division, Okayama City)
1-1-1 Daiku, Kita-ku, Okayama City, Japan 700-8544
Tel：+81-(0)86-803-1351 Fax：+81-(0)86-803-1777
E-mail：esdokayamaaward@city.okayama.lg.jp
Contact Persons: Sachie Kumano (Ms.); and Yukie Hiruda (Ms.)
*Application Forms will not be accepted by mail or email.

Please visit the official link for more information about the application components.