Doha, Qatar: Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future (Earthna), a member of Qatar Foundation, has announced the launch of the second cycle of the Earthna Prize.

Established under the leadership of Her Excellency Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani, Vice Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, the Earthna Prize recognizes solutions rooted in traditional knowledge to address pressing environmental challenges.

A $1million prize pool will be awarded to four winners at the third global Earthna Summit 2027, recognizing them for tackling work in one or more of the five focus areas: water systems, food systems, terrestrial ecosystems, marine and coastal ecosystems, and built environments.

First launched on 22 April 2024, observed annually as Earth Day, the Earthna Prize attracted more than 400 applications from over 100 countries, reinforcing the vision behind the Prize that traditional knowledge and cultural heritage are not only worth preserving but also serve as active resources for addressing contemporary sustainability problems.

Dr. Gonzalo Castro de la Mata, Executive Director of Earthna, said: “The response to the Earthna Prize highlights the scale of work already underway, much of it rooted in long-standing practices. The prize brings these efforts into focus, creating a platform for them to be recognized, understood, and built upon and scaled. Each cycle also strengthens the evidence base for how traditional knowledge can address environmental challenges.”

The inaugural Earthna Prize winners and finalists, announced in 2025, reflect the range of approaches the Prize seeks to highlight, including water conservation, ancestral ecological models, traditional architecture and urbanism, community-led fisheries management, and more.

Submissions for the Earthna Prize are open until 20 July 2026. Non-governmental organizations, community groups, and businesses can apply via https://www.earthna.qa/earthna-prize-2026. Applications are reviewed by a global panel of experts, with winners selected by a high-level jury and will be announced at the Earthna Summit in 2027.

Meanwhile, the Earthna Prize continues to support its inaugural winners beyond recognition, helping them expand and scale their work. Through increased visibility, funding, and access to networks, the prize has enabled these initiatives to strengthen and apply traditional knowledge in addressing environmental challenges.

About Earthna  

Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future (Earthna) is a non-profit policy, research, and advocacy organization established by Qatar Foundation (QF) to promote and enable a coordinated approach to environmental, social, and economic sustainability and prosperity. 

Earthna is a facilitator of sustainability efforts and action in Qatar and other hot and arid countries, focusing on sustainability frameworks, circular economies, energy transition, climate change, biodiversity and ecosystems, cities and the built environment, and education, ethics, and faith. By bringing together technical experts, researchers, government and non-government organizations, businesses, civil society, and policy and decision-makers, Earthna fosters collaboration, innovation, and positive change.  

Using their home—Education City—as a testbed, Earthna develops and trials sustainable solutions and evidence-based policies for Qatar and hot and arid regions. The organization is committed to combining modern thinking with traditional knowledge, contributing to the well-being of society by creating a legacy of sustainability within a thriving natural environment. 

For more information about Earthna please visit: earthna.qa  

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About Qatar Foundation – Unlocking Human Potential  

Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) is a non-profit organization that supports Qatar on its journey to becoming a diversified and sustainable economy. QF strives to serve the people of Qatar and beyond by providing specialized programs across its innovation-focused ecosystem of education, research and development, and community development.  

QF was founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Father Amir, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, who shared the vision to provide Qatar with quality education. Today, QF’s world-class education system offers lifelong learning opportunities to community members as young as six months through to doctoral level, enabling graduates to thrive in a global environment and contribute to the nation’s development. 

QF is also creating a multidisciplinary innovation hub in Qatar, where homegrown researchers are working to address local and global challenges. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and fostering social engagement through programs that embody Qatari culture, QF is committed to empowering the local community and contributing to a better world for all.  

For a complete list of QF’s initiatives and projects, please visit: www.qf.org.qa  

To stay up to date on our social media activities, follow our accounts on: Instagram, Facebook, X and LinkedIn.  

For any media inquiries, please contact: pressoffice@qf.org.qa