Austin/New York – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Accelerator Labs and Hyundai Motor Company’s for Tomorrow initiative has been named a finalist in the Media category of the 2023 South by Southwest (SXSW) Innovation Awards.

UNDP, powered by its Accelerator Labs, and Hyundai Motor launched the for Tomorrow initiative and their partnership in 2020. The project celebrates bottom-up innovation which culminated with the release of a global documentary which premiered on the sidelines of the 77^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly last year.

For Tomorrow makes the argument that local innovators hold the knowledge to address some of the world’s toughest development challenges. It advocates for policy makers to learn from innovators of all backgrounds in order to make progress on the promises made through the Sustainable Development Goals.  Since its launch, the for Tomorrow documentary and its promotional videos have received millions of views on YouTube.

The SXSW Innovation Awards celebrates projects, products and creative endeavors that stand out as the most forward-thinking advancements of the year. Now in its 25th year, the annual award has named 70 finalists across 14 categories. The Media category, in which for Tomorrow is one of four finalists, was newly added this year to recognize projects that improve the way people communicate.

As part of today's SXSW Finalist Showcase, the UNDP Accelerator Labs and Hyundai Motor will exhibit the for Tomorrow initiative and screen the documentary film at the Austin Convention Center. A panel of experts will determine the winner in each category and the Best of Show, while the People's Choice award will be selected by SXSW audiences. Winners will be announced at the 25th SXSW Innovation Awards Ceremony, which will take place on March 13.

“What for Tomorrow celebrates is grassroots innovation, innovation that goes beyond Silicon Valley. We are learning to build on knowledge of the women and men who are facing the effects of climate change, who are living in poverty and who have a lot to contribute to putting the planet on a more sustainable path. We're working with like-minded partners to shift the paradigm of what traditional expertise is and we hope more will join us on this journey,” says Gina Lucarelli, UNDP Accelerator Labs Team Leader. 

The for Tomorrow documentary was produced by the global creative agency Sid Lee, director An Tran and award-winning documentarian Elliot V. Kotek. It won a total of seven awards last year at the Cannes World Film Festival, the New York International Film Awards, and the Montreal Independent Film Festival. It also won 13 awards across five countries, including the Gold Anthem Award, which is hosted by the Webby Awards, and the Jury’s Award at the Quetzalcoatl Indigenous International Film Festival in Mexico last month. It was also selected for nine international film festivals, including the Swiss International Film Festival, the Bridge of Peace International Film Festival in France, and the Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival.

Learn more about for Tomorrow: the Documentary on https://www.undp.org/acceleratorlabs/our-work/fortomorrow or watch the film on the for Tomorrow YouTube channel. And check out @acceleratorlabs and @fortomorrow2030 on Instagram to find out more about how we’re uniting the world for sustainability.

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About the UNDP Accelerator Labs
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with our broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, we help nations to build integrated, lasting solutions for people and planet. In 2019, UNDP set out to build the world’s largest and fastest learning network on wicked sustainable development challenges. Co-built as a joint venture with the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany and the Qatar Fund for Development, the UNDP Accelerator Labs Network is covering 115 countries, and tapping into local innovations to create actionable insights and reimagine sustainable development for the 21st century. To learn more about the UNDP Accelerator Labs Network, check out www.undp.org/acceleratorlabs

About Hyundai Motor Company

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision ‘Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of a sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.

More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:

http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://globalpr.hyundai.com

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Contact:                        

Erika Antoine. erika.antoine@undp.org. +1 929 406 5348

Amy Bennett. amy.elizabeth.bennett@undp.org. +1 917-548-9717