Produced by Eco Age in partnership with Mastercard, The Renaissance Awards' first edition honored 12 young climate-conscious visionaries under age 30 from around the world for their sustainability work that is socially just, environmentally restorative, economically inclusive, and technologically balanced. Join the cause behind this new awards initiative by catching an in-depth interview with Eco-Age's founder and creative director, Livia Firth, and Mastercard's SVP of marketing & communications in Europe, Jeannette Liendo, along with a 45-minute film highlighting the efforts of the inspiring winners and a virtual Green Carpet Challenge with sustainability-focused celebrities.

In the wake of the current climate crisis, young people everywhere are stepping up to help the shift toward a more sustainable world, and they are being celebrated at The Renaissance Awards. This brand-new event is designed to honor youthful entrepreneurs and creatives for their immeasurable efforts to create a greener future.

Organized by Eco Age, a sustainable business strategy agency that helps brands lower their environmental impact, The Renaissance Awards held its inaugural edition on October 11, 2021 in Florence, highlighting the work of 12 international climate action visionaries under the age of 30 who have developed green solutions. Instead of receiving physical objects like trophies, statues, or plaques that are traditionally given out in awards ceremonies, the honorees were bestowed eye-catching NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, on the Cardano blockchain as valuable digital mementos for their commitment to making the world a safer, more equitable place. Ultimately, this is a symbol of Eco Age's own futuristic thinking and dedication to preserving the planet's finite resources.

Winners' talents and achievements were recognized across four distinct categories—Social Justice, Environmental Restorativeness, Economic Inclusivity, and Technological Balance—with three recipients in each.

The story of the youth talents was presented in The Renaissance Awards movie, a 45-minute film that details the extraordinary environmental efforts each of the winners is engaged in. On top of showcasing the social purposes of the young role models' businesses, the movie features legendary musician and co-founder/president of the We Are Family Foundation, Nile Rodgers; Academy Award winner Colin Firth; model and activist Gisele Bündchen; musician, political activist, and NGO Circle founder, Annie Lennox; award-winning actor Ahad Raza Mir; and songwriter Ben Harper. Plus, international celebrities will be participating in a virtual Green Carpet Challenge via Instagram, donning sustainable fashions to raise environmental awareness as they walk the red carpet for The Renaissance Awards movie premieres.

To shed some light on the process behind The Renaissance Awards' creation, Mastercard's own senior vice president of marketing and communications in Europe, Jeannette Liendo, caught up with Eco Age's award-winning founder and creative director, Livia Firth, for an engaging interview. On top of running Eco Age, Firth is a founding member of Annie Lennox's "The Circle," an impactful women's advocacy group, as well as a UN Leader of Change who has given powerful keynote addresses to the World Economic Forum and produced progressive documentaries like The True Cost and eye-opening series like Fashionscapes. Be attuned to the renaissance yourself by watching this socially conscious conversation below, along with a short video clip that goes behind the scenes and highlights The Renaissance Awards' pillars of sustainability.