In 2024, the International Centre for UNESCO ASPnet (ICUA) launched the very first Youth Innovation: Collaborating to Improve and Protect our Planet (CIPP) campaign. Children and young people from various countries and regions – like Belarus, China, Finland, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Oman, Pakistan, Russia, Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and more – joined in. Together, they sent in over 30,000 creative works, showing amazing ideas, unique cultures, and a strong wish to care for our planet.
Building on this success, CIPP is back in 2025!
This year’s campaign focuses on “Environmental and Cultural Sustainability”. That means we will be looking at how we can take care of nature, while also celebrating and passing on the traditions and cultures that make our world so diverse.
Through this campaign, you’ll have a chance to:
- Explore big questions about our future.
- Share your ideas through science, art, and stories.
- Learn how to protect the environment and value cultural heritage.
- Use your creativity to imagine new solutions for a better tomorrow.
Central Focus and Thematic areas
CIPP 2025 is all about Environmental and Cultural Sustainability. To guide your creativity, here are six themes you can choose from. Each theme invites you to connect your own experiences with big global challenges—and imagine new solutions!
Theme 1: Responding to Climate Change
This theme is about how our world is changing with rising temperatures and extreme weather. It invites you to share your thoughts and feelings about these changes, and how people and nature can face them together.
Theme 2: Conserving Biodiversity
Biodiversity means all the amazing plants, animals, and ecosystems on Earth. This theme encourages you to celebrate the beauty of living things and show why protecting them matters for everyone’s future.
Theme 3: Building Sustainable Communities
A sustainable community is a place where people and the environment live in harmony. This theme is about imagining communities that are cleaner, greener, and healthier for all.
Theme 4: Protecting Water Resources
Water gives life to people, animals, and nature. This theme focuses on keeping water clean, using it wisely, and sharing it fairly so that no one is left out.
Theme 5: Safeguarding & Innovating Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage includes traditions, languages, music, crafts, and stories passed from one generation to the next. This theme invites you to show why these treasures matter today, and how they can stay alive in new and creative ways.
Theme 6: Advocating Clean Energy
Clean energy comes from the sun, wind, and water, helping us reduce pollution and protect the planet. This theme is about imagining a world where everyone can enjoy safe, affordable, and sustainable energy.
Age Groups and Types of Work
The campaign welcomes creativity from two age groups:
Children (ages 5–12) can share their ideas through paintings, crafts, or solutions.
Youth (ages 13–17) are invited to present their creativity in the form of solutions, science posters, or AI short videos.
Every submission should include a PDF/ image / mind map document, along with a short presentation video. Detailed requirements for each type of work can be found in the official Concept Note. Please note that submissions not following the requirements will still be accepted but may only enter the evaluation stage and not proceed further.
Important Information
Campaign Schedule
Late June 2025 Launch of the campaign and announcement of rules
Late June – 16 November 2025 (23:59, UTC+8) Registration & submission period
17 November 2025 – January 2026 Evaluation and award process
January 2026 Exhibition of works & official closing of the campaign
* All times are listed in the UTC+8 time zone.
Languages
The official languages of the campaign are Chinese and English. All written and spoken texts must be presented in one of these languages.
Participation Rules
- You may take part individually or as part of a team of up to 10 members.
- Each participating unit—whether an individual or a team—may submit only one work.
- Each submission can be entered in only one group and one type of work.
Awards
Overall Awards
These awards celebrate submissions that stand out for their quality, creativity, and impact. Titles include:
Award for Leadership in Sustainable Innovation for works showing the highest level of excellence and influence.
Award for Pioneering Sustainability for works with strong ideas, completeness, and unique highlights.
Award for Sustainability Exploration for works that meet the theme and requirements with solid performance.
Special Awards
These awards highlight creativity within the six campaign themes:
Award for Climate Action Innovation for fresh ideas on climate change and extreme weather.
Award for Biodiversity Conservation for protecting species and ecosystems.
Award for Sustainable Community Design for greener, healthier community living.
Award for Innovation in Water Preservation for smart solutions to save and share water.
Award for Cultural Inheritance and Innovation for creative ways to protect and renew cultural heritage.
Award for Clean Energy Innovation for imaginative uses of renewable energy and low-carbon design.
How to Participate
Children and youth who are excited to join the campaign are invited to submit their creative work through the Online Registration System
In the system, participants (together with their legal guardian(s)) will:
- Complete the Consent Form;
- Provide details about the work, participant, and instructor (if any).
After submission, participants may review or update their information through the Information Review and Modification System
Please note that modifications are only possible until the specified deadline.
To make things easier, step-by-step instructions on how to use these systems are also available here:
- Guidelines on Registration and Submission
- Guidelines on Registration Information Review and Modification
For comprehensive information about the campaign, please refer to the Concept Note and the CIPP official website (www.icua-cipp.com).
For inquiries, please contact: icua_cipp@icua.org
Q&A
Q1: I was born in October 2014. I am 10 years old and will soon be 11. Which age group should I choose?
A: If you were born between 1 June 2008 and 31 May 2015, choose the youth group. If you were born between 1 June 2015 and 31 May 2020, choose the children’s group.
Q2: I am participating with my friend. I am 9 years old, and my friend is 12. Which group should we choose?
A: The group is based on the oldest team member, so you should join the youth group.
Q3: There are three work types in each group. Do I need to submit all three?
A: No, choose only one type. Each participant or team can submit one work only, in one group and one work type.
Q4: I am participating with two friends. Whose guardian should sign the Consent Form?
A: Only one legal guardian—representing all team members—needs to sign.
Q5: How do I know if my submission was successful?
A: Check your details in the Information Review and Modification System. You can make updates before the deadline.
Q6: Where can I learn more about the SDGs and get ideas for my work?
A: Visit the educational resources platform on the CIPP website. It has articles and videos to inspire your creative submissions.