Prime Minister and BRISD President Celebrate Pakistani School’s Triumph at Zayed Sustainability Prize Ceremony

In a momentous ceremony at Expo City, Dubai, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwar ul Haq
Kakar, and President of the Belt and Road Initiative for Sustainable Development (BRISD), Mr.
Qaiser Nawab, celebrated the extraordinary achievement of a Pakistani school at the Zayed
Sustainability Prize awards. The event witnessed the presentation of the prestigious prize of
$100,000 to the Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT), declared the best Global School in South
Asia.
The award-winning project, recognized for its innovative approach to water conservation and
organic farming, was showcased at the UN climate conference in Dubai, where the school
triumphed against two finalists from India and Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Kakar expressed his joy and pride during the ceremony, stating, “While
witnessing the ceremony and announcement, I was overwhelmed and happy. The future of
Pakistan belongs to these brilliant young kids.”
President Qaiser Nawab of BRISD extended his congratulations to the Pakistani students,
acknowledging their exceptional accomplishment in the realm of sustainability. The Zayed
Sustainability Prize, named in honor of UAE’s founding father Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al
Nahyan, celebrates initiatives addressing health, food, energy, water, and climate-related
challenges.
Sumaiya Bibi, a 19-year-old representative of KORT, articulated the importance of their water
conservation project, emphasizing the critical need for clean drinking water in Pakistan by 2025.
She shared plans to establish water filtration plants and sensor taps in their school to minimize
water wastage, along with creating a kitchen garden through organic farming to provide
organically grown food for the children.
Chaudhry Mohammed Akhtar, the Founding Chairman of KORT, outlined that the prize money
would be directed towards projects focused on clean water and organic farming in rural areas.
KORT School and College of Excellence, based in Azad Kashmir, was established in 2016 to
support children orphaned in the devastating earthquake, now serving over 500 students.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize, launched in 2008, has recognized 106 winners globally,
impacting the lives of more than 378 million people across 151 countries. This year’s 11
winners, across various categories, collectively share a prize fund of $3.6 million, showcasing
the global impact of innovative solutions.
The awards ceremony for this year’s Zayed Sustainability Prize is set to take place on Friday
during the COP28 climate conference, celebrating and acknowledging the contributions of
visionary projects from around the world.