The partnership will support new initiatives for young people in addressing the greatest challenges of their generation

Skopje, 5th May 2022 – The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the Foundation Telekom for Macedonia are enhancing their multiyear cooperation with new initiatives for engaging the youth in addressing some of the greatest challenges of their generation and advancing the use of digital solutions in a high-quality and inclusive education.

The new partnership consists of supporting the digital education and the web platform Eduino, communication initiatives guided by young people in dealing with cyber bullying and hate speech on social media and supporting the youth challenge with a focus on digital solutions for tackling climate change.

UNICEF and the Foundation Telekom for Macedonia will start the new cooperation via an open call, which calls upon young innovators to submit ideas for digital solutions for tackling climate change within the global youth challenge "Generation without Limits” under the slogan “Technology for the Planet”.

“Through the partnership with the Foundation Telekom for Macedonia, we would like to encourage a joint creation together with young people in order to obtain innovative solutions for the challenges they face on a daily basis. Young people are deeply affected by climate change and they are fully capable of being a part of the solution. This challenge provides an opportunity for young people to put the creativity that comes with their age into use and guide the solutions on their own, connect with entrepreneurship possibilities and become the drivers of a positive change within the climate action both within their local communities and wider” – said the UNICEF representative, Patrizia DiGiovanni.

“Technology is a powerful tool, especially when handled by young people who are strongly motivated to find solutions for today’s challenges. Climate change affects us all, especially young people who should actively participate in the creation of the solutions. It is our task to enable them to implement their ideas and boost their potential. As the drivers of digital transformation, it is our duty to give a chance to young people to be the creators of their own future” – said Nikola Ljushev, the Chief Executive Officer of Makedonski Telekom.

This year, the young innovators will be creating digital solutions for dealing with one of the fiercest threats faced by children and young people all around the world - climate change. High-school and university students, as well as any interested young people, will have an opportunity to create innovations, applicable and sustainable tools and models, in order to ensure a healthy environment and a higher quality of living for the present and future generations. At the challenges conducted thus far within the initiative “Generation without Limits”, two teams from North Macedonia got a global acknowledgement. In 2020, in the category of overall winners at an age below 18, the winner was the team eBionics with the solution titled Venus Arm - a 3D printed bionic arm for persons with an upper limb difference. In 2019, the team AndroMetа was one of the global winners with their mobile application Speak Out, aimed at creating a community for supporting the victims of peer bullying.

The best ten teams from this year’s challenge will be invited to workshops for further development of their ideas. After the workshops, the five best ideas will be selected and they will be awarded with finances and mentorship help. The teams will be working under the mentorship of experts in the sphere of climate change and specialists from Makedonski Telekom.

The two best solutions from the finals in the country will enter the world selection. These projects will have a chance to win additional funds in the amount of USD 20,000, alongside a global incubation program from the partners of "Generation without Limits" for the purposes of their expansion.

This is the third partnership of UNICEF and the Foundation Telekom for Macedonia. In 2015, they cooperated on providing equal opportunities for the early education of children from rural areas by means of opening 8 centres for early childhood development, while in 2019 they cooperated on digital solutions for reducing the barriers faced by children with disabilities in education and in daily life.

This year’s youth challenge of UNICEF and the Foundation Telekom for Macedonia is implemented in cooperation with the Centre for Social Innovations BLINK 42 – 21.

For more information, please contact:

Foundation Telekom for Macedonia: Lea Lipsa, tel. +389 23242506,

e-mail FoundationTelekomforMacedonia@telekom.mk

UNICEF: Suzi Papas, tel. (02) 3231-244, е-mail: spappas@unicef.org or Irina Ivanovska, tel.: (02) 3231-172 е-mail: iivanovska@unicef.org

Press Center

{{Title}}