Foster Beelief Wins World Trade Centers Association Foundation’s Second Annual “Peace Through Trade” Competition
NEW YORK, NY – September 2, 2020 – The World Trade Centers Association Foundation (WTCAF) is proud to announce Savannah, Georgia-based Foster Beelief as winner of its second annual “Peace Through Trade” Competition, a platform dedicated to identify and inspire the next generation of young leaders to improve the world through entrepreneurial projects.
The competition provides the World Trade Centers Association’s (WTCA) global network of 322 cities with an opportunity to submit projects on behalf of the students of their communities that address 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“In its second year, the WTCAF Peace Through Trade Competition received an enthusiastic response that resulted in quality submissions of innovative projects from student teams around the world,” stated Catherine Lee, Chair of the WTCAF Board of Directors. “We would like to thank all participants for their valuable contribution to this year’s competition, and send a special word of gratitude for the incredible support from so many WTCs around the world. It is because of their participation, that we are able to fulfill our mission of bringing peace through trade.”
“The WTCAF Board selected Foster Beelief as this year’s winning team based on their project’s focus on promoting and developing sustainable farming activities, on promoting ethical international business practices, and on its research orientation and global perspective in addressing a specific environmental issue,” stated Lee. “We are excited for the team to share their vision with the WTCA community and to progress their project further with the support of our global network. Congratulations again to Foster Beelief and the two other finalist teams of this year’s competition.”
This year, WTC Savannah submitted the winning team. Founded by Savannah State University students Sade Shofidiya, Jennyfer Dayan Vivas Gomez and Karen Perez, Foster Beelief works to promote sustainability through the education of the at-risk honeybee population, increasing STEM interests and environmental stewardship, building stronger industry and community partnerships, and increasing citizen involvement in communities. The winning student team will present their project and engage with the WTCA members at the 2021 WTCA General Assembly — the association’s annual meeting of more than 500 representatives from member WTCs, foreign trade delegations, and local companies.
“We are honored to be first place and we look forward to presenting in front of the WTCA General Assembly! This is our time, to be the change the world needs and open doors of opportunity for marginalized groups to learn and engage in sustainable practices. We are one planet, and like the honeybees, we are one hive. We believe in a world of environmental and social justice, and we will continue to strive until there is a universal network of caring people that are changing our world for the better,” Sade Shofidiya, Founder and CEO of Foster Beelief.
“We are so proud of the Foster Beelief team,” said Scott Center, WTCA Board Member representing WTC Savannah. “Their project is vitally important, and it is absolutely remarkable how this endeavor tackles so many issues troubling our world today head on. Health, environment, poverty, immune systems, nutrition and urban food deserts are all addressed through the Foster Beelief initiative.”
This year’s first runner-up team is ReNu Hygienics, submitted by WTC Winnipeg. Led by University of Calgary and York University students Parker Easter and Silas Lee, ReNu Hygienics focuses on upcycling bars of soap from soap that would have otherwise been thrown out by local hotels, and providing them to those less fortunate who need them. The second runner-up team is Agro-preneurs, submitted by WTC Mumbai. Led by students Ishita Joshi, Ashi Gala, Karan Patil and Kalpesh Patil, Agro-preneurs aims to bridge the gap between farmers and investors all over the world, providing farmers with the best quality resources to yield the best quality harvest through capital from investors.
For more information about the WTCAF and its annual Peace Through Trade Competition, visit www.wtcafoundation.org.
MEDIA CONTACT:
World Trade Centers Association (WTCA)
Chanelle Kasik
Phone: +1 212 432 2644
Email: ckasik@wtca.org
About World Trade Centers Association Foundation
The World Trade Centers Association Foundation (WTCAF) is a private, U.S. tax-exempt, charitable organization (501c) founded in 2008, the mission of which is to conduct programs that promote social welfare in the pursuit and support of activities that foster peace and social stability. The WTCAF makes a difference by encouraging a better understanding of international trade; promoting and developing sustainable farming, energy, and transportation and trading activities; elevating the standard of living in less developed countries; and promoting ethical international business practices. To learn more visit www.wtcafoundation.org.
About World Trade Centers Association
The World Trade Centers Association (WTCA) is a network of more than 320 highly connected, mutually supporting businesses and organizations in nearly 100 countries. As the owner of the “World Trade Center” and “WTC” trademarks, the WTCA licenses exclusive rights to these brands for Members to use in conjunction with their independently-owned, iconic properties, facilities and trade services offerings. Through a robust portfolio of events, programming and resources that it offers its Members, the goal of the WTCA is to help local economies thrive by encouraging and facilitating trade and investment across the globe through Member engagement. To learn more visit www.wtca.org.