2020 WTCAF “Peace Through Trade” Competition


Following on the heels of last year’s inaugural “Peace Through Trade” Competition, the World Trade Centers Association Foundation (WTCAF) is delighted to announce the launch of the second installment of its program.

Introduced at last year’s Member Seminar, (see page 6 of the November 2018 issue of WTCA Meridian ) the WTCAF partnered with Enactus — the world’s largest experiential learning platform — to recognize students in that organization’s “World Cup,” where international teams of students present their novel ideas to solve some of today’s greatest challenges. Because trade is such a

 critical piece of fostering prosperity and peace, WTCAF recognizes four Enactus teams with a “Junior Ambassadors of Trade” award for “exemplifying and promoting social innovation and sustainability through collaboration, fair trade, and ethical business practices.”

This year Remy Swaab of WTC Panama City, WTCA Board of Directors Vice Chair and Member of the Board for WTCAF, traveled to Silicon Valley, California, to present the teams that stood out from the rest. This year these awards were presented to the national teams of Brazil, France, Korea, and Mexico.

Subsequently at this year’s Member Seminar, the WTCAF will launch its second, signature “Peace Through Trade” Competition, which asks WTC Members to contribute a participation fee and submit projects from teams consisting of their local students. Teams are asked to present an original project, product or other innovative idea that “exemplifies and promotes social innovation and sustainability through collaboration, fair trade, and ethical international business practices.” The project also needs to address at least one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Two members from the winning team will secure the opportunity to travel all-expenses paid to be recognized in-person at the 2020 WTCA General Assembly in Taipei. In addition, the WTCAF works with the WTCA Headquarters office to help draw attention to these innovative projects, the students who created them, and their local WTC. Earlier this year, Moyo Nua — founded by college students Jack O’Connor, Catherine Hallinan, Seamus Hurley, and Aoife Hand — took home the prize with their project aimed at revolutionizing the agricultural practices of developing countries (see page 14 in the June 2019 issue of WTCA Meridian ). Submitted through WTC Dublin, the student-led team was unanimously selected as the winner, traveled to Mexico for the 2019 WTCA General Assembly to be recognized, and was subsequently featured in Forbes .

Want more information? Visit the competition website to find out more about this year’s program, note key deadlines, and download all applicable materials. And to all of the WTCs and teams that submit to take home the 2020 prize, GOOD LUCK!