• · Hyundai Motor and UNDP Accelerator Labs jointly release a video featuring sustainable solutions submitted to the 'for Tomorrow' project, narrated by project ambassador Jessica Alba
    • · Video celebrates global project's six-month progress, showing innovators from around the world who are creating solutions for a sustainable future
    • · 'for Tomorrow' aims to encourage and connect homegrown grassroots innovators and help them advance their innovations through crowdsourcing and connecting

SEOUL, May 6, 2021 -Celebrating six months since the launch of the 'for Tomorrow' project, Hyundai Motor Company and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) released a videofeaturing three sustainable living solutions from a collection of submissions by grassroots local innovators from around the world.


Six months ago, Hyundai Motor and the UNDP Accelerator Labs launched 'for Tomorrow', an initiative that has sought out, welcomed and enabled people across the globe to help their communities move towards a more livable future. Grassroots innovators from different countries have submitted their solutions via the 'for Tomorrow' platform, ranging from hands-on, in-the-field initiatives to digital, data-driven innovations that are answering concrete needs within their communities.


The video - narrated by 'for Tomorrow' ambassador, Jessica Alba - signals the second phase of the project, themed 'Sustainable Cities and Communities'. Innovators will get support from sustainability experts from May.


'Our partnership with UNDP is very meaningful to us. Corporate citizenship is essential to ensuring a better quality of life for communities everywhere, which is why Hyundai Motor is collaborating with the UNDP to help nurture and advance sustainable social entrepreneurship initiatives and innovations,' said Thomas Schemera, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor. 'In the last six months of our partnership, we've seen a lot of solutions that inspire us. I hope these solutions will be the seeds of innovation that will make a better future. In line with our brand vision, 'Progress for Humanity', we will continue to contribute to becoming a sustainable society with a sense of corporate citizenship.'


UNDP Accelerator Labs Special Advisor Joseph D'Cruz added, 'The goal of 'for Tomorrow' is to tap into innovation to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Working with Hyundai Motor, we want to connect with innovators around the world and help find those local solutions that are key to the evolution of topics such as mobility, waste management and urban living. This brings the work done by the 91 Accelerator Labs around the world to a whole new level and extend our reach like never before.'


'Many people wake up every morning wanting to contribute to positive change and wondering how they can do it,' said project ambassador Alba. 'This film is about some of the members of the 'for Tomorrow' community who are acting on that desire. It's about the challenges they face, the solutions they come up with, and how they're improving life in their communities and beyond.'


The video highlights three inspiring stories in an effort to empower people working to create positive changes in their communities to improve their quality of life through sustainable means:


Nigeria: Solar Streetlights by Onah Angela Amaka
Using her background in electrical engineering, Amaka built and introduced solar-powered lanterns to her community. Life in Amaka's town used to slow down when night fell, as many people did not have access to lighting after dark. Her eco-friendly solar lamps have created a positive socioeconomic impact within her community, by improving health and security, allowing children to read longer, as well as creating business opportunities by exposing people to the benefits of solar energy technology.

Nepal: Green Energy Mobility by Sonika Manandhar and Tiffany Tong
The electric busses of Kathmandu, Nepal - known as safa tempo - have been driven by women for a quarter century. However, these women still face challenges receiving financial support to maintain their transportation services in a male dominated industry. Manandhar and Tong created Green Energy Mobility (GEM), a product that got the attention of the Accelerator Lab in Nepal, to increase financial inclusion for women electric vehicle drivers by making renewable energy-powered public transportation a quality alternative to private vehicles to combat climate change.

United Kingdom: Real Ice by Cian Sherwin
With melting icebergs causing sea levels to rise, some communities in Wales will need to move away from their current locations within the next 50 years. To fight the effects of climate change, Sherwin and his team have developed and concept-tested prototypes of re-icing machines in an effort to replenish Arctic ice. The technology behind the machines was developed with the assistance of Bangor University, and the finished products will be operated by indigenous people of the Arctic regions.


Hyundai Motor and UNDP announced that they have received numerous other submissions - not shown in the video - from 30 different countries since the initiative was launched. The project will continue to accept submissions until late this year via www.fortomorrow.org


The solutions will be supplemented and implemented with the connectors such as environmentalist David Mayer de Rothschild and the UNDP Accelerator Labs. The involvement will begin in May and the final results will be announced in September.

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About UNDP Accelerator Labs

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 in 2019 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 and with support from Italy and UNDP core donors, the Accelerator Lab Network is covering 115 countries, and tapping into local innovations to create actionable insights and reimagine sustainable development for the 21st century.


Read more about the UNDP Accelerator Lab Network:acceleratorlabs.undp.org


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 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.

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Hyundai Motor Company published this content on 06 May 2021 and is solely responsible for the information contained therein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 06 May 2021 04:26:03 UTC.