The "BRICS and Shanghai Young Pioneers" award went to representatives from 9 countries
The third edition of the BRICS and SCO Young Pioneers Awards was held in Kazan with representatives from 9 countries. This year, 10 people were selected in the categories of “Research and Innovation of the Year”, “Social Solution of the Year”, “Public Diplomacy Initiative of the Year”, “Environmental Initiative of the Year” and “Young Media Personality of the Year”.
From Iran, Reza Ghavamipour, founder of the innovative educational platform “Garnet Academy”, won the “Social Solution of the Year” award. Using artificial intelligence, this platform individually assesses users’ strengths and provides personalized training programs to lead the learning path to entrepreneurship and income generation. So far, more than 60,000 people have completed Garnet training and more than 10,000 people have participated in its free lectures and courses. The large-scale “Artificial Intelligence and Sustainable Business” forum held at the University of Tehran on July 16, 2021, with over a thousand attendees, has also helped significantly expand the platform’s international reach.
Among other winners, Wu Chao from China received the “Environmental Initiative of the Year” award. Visiting Kazan for the second time, he told BRICS TV: “The Russian people made the biggest impression on me. I felt comfortable here and was welcomed with hospitality. Kazan is a very beautiful city and has many opportunities for young global pioneers.” Kritikumar Ramchandani from India, an expert in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, was named “Researcher and Innovation of the Year.” “One of the best things about the BRICS Awards is that connections are made first and then we talk about programs,” he said. “My connections have been strengthened, especially with Russia and China, and the Russians are very receptive to new initiatives.” Madinakhon Toshmetova from Uzbekistan also won the award for her “Smart Bag” project for visually impaired children. The bag is equipped with an obstacle warning signal, a fall sensor, and a solar panel for sustainable energy supply. The event was held with the support of the Ministry of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan, the National Center for Public Diplomacy of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Russia-BRICS Project Office for Youth Cooperation. The program was part of the national project “Youth and Children” within the framework of the “Zone for Youth” project of the Russian Federal Agency for Youth Affairs.