CISU's Initiative Award

In 2024, the Initiative Award was awarded to Rapolitics

Rapolitics was presented with CISU’s Initiative Award 2024 for their work using hip hop and rap as methods to engage even those students who are usually the hardest to reach in the classroom. The board placed particular emphasis on the fact that Rapolitics manages to reach young people who are genuinely difficult to engage. Notably, they do this in a way that also gets boys and young men involved in topics such as gender equality – an area that can be especially challenging.

– The organisation reaches classrooms across Denmark and, especially in recent years, has become widely recognised among Danish youth while putting global issues on the agenda. Rapolitics succeeds in reaching those who rarely take an interest in gender equality and global development, said Signe Vahlun, who presented the award.

In 2023 the Award went to The National Association of Eco-Communities

Since the very beginning of the war in Ukraine, the organisation has supported the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN) Ukraine through the initiative ‘The Green Road’ – a network of ecovillages across Europe working together to welcome displaced Ukrainians.

The Award recognises the organisation and all the involved ecovillages in Denmark for their strong commitment to supporting people displaced by the war.

It stands as a powerful example of how local communities can step up and contribute to solving global challenges.

In 2022, The Initiative Award was awarded to AfriCAN, 

in recognition of their remarkable work in building a network of African diaspora groups who inspire each other – and other development actors – to engage African diaspora communities in development work.

As part of their efforts, the network also organises an event on African Union Day, showcasing and celebrating the contributions of Danish diaspora organisations to global development.

AfriCAN stands out for its significant potential to reach new groups and involve them in development cooperation through dedicated and persistent networking efforts.

In 2021, the Initiative Award went to WarFair. WarFair supports producers who have worked hard to build a sustainable foundation for their families and local communities – ensuring they do not lose this progress due to war or local conflict.

Trade is a tool for development and job creation, and WarFair serves as an inspiration for other organisations to explore models where trade forms part of the organisation’s or Global South partner’s economy.

That year, the Award was awarded based on a vote at the General Assembly. The two other nominees – recognised for their impressive initiatives – were FANT - Football for a New Tomorrow and Engineers without Borders