The emersense advisory board brings together a diverse mix of thought leaders, pioneers and entrepreneurs providing valuable expertise and inspiration to our journey. Further members of the board are: Hildegard Aichberger (WWF, Managing Director), Werner Binnenstein-Bachstein (Caritas Wien, Managing Director) and Stefan Leitner-Sidl (Konnex, Co-Founder and Managing Director).

While we are happy and grateful for the recognition, we especially thank the many facilitators, partners and participants of previous years who made this happen. More than that we are also very excited to soon launch an enriched program for 2010 – now under official UNESCO patronage…

“The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) seeks to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning, in order to address the social, economic, cultural and environmental problems of the 21st century.”

With 59 applications from more than 200 students, a community of more than 300 members and several activities and workshops over just a few weeks time – the Social Impact Award 2009 was successfully concluded today in a ceremony for the first three winners of the award:

• 1st place for Project-E: A successfully established vocational school with accredited curriculum to provide Ethiopian orphan girls a future-oriented education and break the chains of poverty and patriachal societal pressures.
• 2nd place for Hunza Dynamo: A new concept to strengthen the local economical and social structures of the Hunza Valley in Pakistan through the establishment of new trekking routes and sustained eco-tourism offers.
• 3rd place for Kunterbunt Foundation: A novel idea for “the touchable museum” that will allow blind people to experience the full beauty of art in an exhibition of 3D sculptures from famous paintings such as the Mona Lisa.

Project-E, Hunza Dynamo and Kunterbunt Foundation will each be awarded a 3 month unlimited membership of The Hub Vienna (opening fall 2009). Additionally, subsequent workshops and community activities for all applicants will soon be announced as further support for the many submitted ideas, concepts and prototypes.

Looking back: more impressions and information on the award are now available at www.socialimpactaward.at… Looking ahead: In 2010 emersense will continue the partnership with the Social Impact Award to again reward students with innovative ideas and new approaches to bringing about positive change in society. Stay tuned for more information.

Hosted by ERSTE Foundation, Erste Group and Česká Spořitelna in partnership with Ashoka and emersense, “Banking for Social Entrepreneurship” thus seeks to uncover this potential and connect banks and entrepreneurs on their social mission. Inviting drivers and enablers of positive change across CEE, a unique conference with a multitude of perspectives and a high level of engagement is created. Common intent at its core: Jointly pioneering new ways of enabling lasting positive impact by finding new opportunities to leverage banking and social entrepreneurship in CEE.

“Banking for Social Entrepreneurship” will take place from 19 to 20 June 2009 in Prague, Czech Republic for 120 selected guests and participants from CEE. A detailed program of the conference can be found here.

emersense learning design marks a new approach to learning to enable those with drive and commitment to a sustainable future by creating unique events with a high level of engagement and output. Read more about our learning design here and please contact us at  info@emersense.org for further information.

This workshop is open for students of all universities. It will take place on 08 May 2009 at 5.00pm in “Depot” (Breite Gasse 3, 1070 Vienna). More information and registration for the workshop available at the new facebook group of the award.

The Social Impact Award is an initiative by EC Vienna and emersense. It is rewarding students with innovative ideas and new approaches to bringing about positive change in society. Applications for this award can be submitted until 30 May 2009, 10pm. For more information, resources, links and details on the award please visit www.socialimpactaward.at and see the role of emersense here.

Enriching our current activities to nurture spark and intent for contribution, we are today launching emersense.ning – a new virtual space to support the journeys, ideas and connections of value-creators across the world. Creating new opportunities for individuals and communities to cultivate their dreams and enact their ideas, emersense.ning offers:

• Personal Space: Individual profiles and pages to integrate blogs, discussions, impressions, events, updates and many other customized applications.
• Common Space: Groups, forums and communities to exchange thoughts, collaborate on ideas, share reflections and build new connections within the virtual community.
• Opportunities & Impressions: Latest news and full coverage of diverse initiatives within emersense, constant information on possibilities to engage and participate.
• Knowledge & Inspiration: Access to learning materials and outputs of previous activities, contact points for open questions, and a shoebox filled with inspiration.

emersense.ning starts small, yet is ready to evolve. As emersense is growing, so will this virtual space. New features will be added, new opportunities be created – to leverage what is done and enable what can be done.

emersense.ning is ready… you are invited.

As official partner of the award, emersense 1) is sponsoring unlimited memberships of three months each in The Hub Vienna, 2) offers regular creative sessions as support and meeting point for interested students throughout the application period, 3) designs a virtual space for all applicants to foster exchange and connections beyond the duration of the award, and 4) is member of the jury to select the winner of the award.

Applications for this award can be submitted until 30 May 2009, 10pm. For more information, resources, links and details on the award please visit www.socialimpactaward.at.

Miha Pogacnik allows us to take this perspective. As he plays the violin and speaks to the audience, compositions are unraveled and barriers to our perception removed. Chaos will be encountered. Tension felt. And a space for innovation enabled.

Miha Pogacnik is an internationally acclaimed violinist, entrepreneur and keynote speaker. For over twenty-five years, he has infused creativity through the language of music in a multitude of settings and inspired hundreds of leading companies, global forums and pioneering institutions with his virtuosity. He is founder of idriart, cultural ambassador of Slovenia and board member of the Berlin School of Creative Leadership. More

This event will take place on Thursdy, 16 April 2009 at 7.00 pm in “borg3 musiksaal” (Landstr. Hauptstraße 70, 1030 Vienna). Participation fee 59 EUR (regular), 29 EUR (students). Only limited places availabe. Registrations at info@emersense.org