Welcome to the Teacher FAQs page for the Our World Awards! Here you’ll find answers to common questions about the awards, how to get involved, project guidelines and support available for schools. Whether you’re a first-time participant or returning teacher, this page will help you navigate the process with ease.
Irish Aid is the Irish Government’s International Development Programme that supports people in over 130 countries around the world. We work with countries that are affected by poverty and hunger, climate change and conflict as we aim to create a better world.
Irish Aid focus mainly on these key areas:
Gender Equality
Climate Action
Humanitarian Response
Strengthening Governance
The Our World Awards seek to enable 3rd-6th class pupils to learn about the lives of children and their families in developing countries and how Ireland, through Irish Aid, and 192 other countries in the United Nations are working together to create a safer and fairer world, and a better future for all the world’s children.
Pupils, as global citizens, can play their part in making the world a better place by taking part in the Awards.Using our Pupil's magazine and accompanying lesson plans, you can work on a creative piece showcasing what you learned or what inspired you. You can use writing, artwork, music or film and submit your work for a chance to attend the National Finals In Dublin Castle, May 22nd 2025.
We also want you to share your ideas and information with your friends and family at school and at home! Everyone in the world, including you, has an important role to play in creating a better world. Taking part in the Awards is a good place to start. Are you and your class up to the challenge?
193 countries of the United Nations, including Ireland, are working together to create a better world and a better future for all by 2030, through the Global Goals for Sustainable Development, which were agreed in September 2015, with Ireland taking a leading role in negotiations. These Goals, which build on the achievements of the previous UN Millennium Development Goals, seek to bring about a better future for children everywhere and for future generations.
The 17 Global Goals are as follows (simplified wording):
1. End poverty
2. End hunger
3. Make sure everyone can live healthy lives
4. Make sure everyone gets a good education
5. Make sure that women and girls get the same chances as men and boys
6. Make sure that everyone has access to clean water and proper toilets
7. Make sure that everyone has enough heat, light and power without damaging the environment
8. Help countries to develop and provide good jobs in a way that benefits everyone
9. Build schools, hospitals and roads, and promote creative businesses and industries, that make the people’s lives better
10. Make sure that everyone is treated fairly and that countries treat each other fairly
11. Make cities environmentally friendly and safe communities where people can live well
12. Make sure we only buy or use what we need so that we do not use up the Earth’s scarce resources
13. Act now to fight climate change
14. Look after the life in our oceans and seas
15. Look after forests, animals and the earth itself
16. Work for peace and justice inside and between countries
17. Countries will work together as partners to achieve the Global Goals and make the world a better place for everyone
Yes! The lesson plans on the Awards website have been written to provide pupils with learning opportunities directly related to the primary curriculum, including:
Curriculum Areas Republic of Ireland: Links vary per lesson and are included in the teacher guide for each lesson. Common links include:
Primary Language: Oral language, Reading, Writing
SPHE: Developing Citizenship
Geography: People and Other Lands
Geography: Weather, Climate, and Atmosphere
Science: Environmental awareness
Science: Plants and Animals
Science: Caring for the Environment
Arts: Visual Arts
History: Stories from the Lives of People in the Past
Areas of Learning Northern Ireland: Language & Literacy, Mathematics & Numeracy, Personal Development & Mutual Understanding, The Arts, The World Around Us, Religious Education.
Curriculum links Northern Ireland
Language and Literacy
- Talking and Listening
- Reading
- Writing
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding
Strand 2: Mutual Understanding in the Local and Wider Community
- Relationships in the Community
- Relationships in the Wider World
The World Around Us
Geography, History and Science
- Interdependence
- Place
- Movement and energy
- Change over time.
The Arts
- Art and Design
- Drama
- Music
Yes. You can either call our dedicated hotline number on 01 522 4834 and one of our team will be more than happy to help you. Or, you can send in your query via email to ourworld@realnation.ie
Taking part will help pupils learn about wider world issues and will provide them with learning opportunities directly related to the primary curriculum. Through the teaching and learning support materials, pupils are provided with current information on developing countries, and encouraged to develop their own ideas while using a range of analytical and communication skills to create their entry.
In addition, pupils will have fun using their creativity to present their pieces in a wide range of media formats (music, art, writing, new media, etc.).
Pupils who submit an entry to the Our World Awards are in with a chance to attend the National Final Ceremony in Dublin Castle May 22nd 2025. It’s an opportunity for pupils to have their work recognised and their achievements celebrated. As part of our ceremony, pupils will be awarded prizes and certificates!
Explore our curriculum-linked lesson plans and activity-packed Pupil's magazine. You can then discuss with your pupils which topic(s) to focus on i.e. Irish Aid and/or any of the 3 additional focus countries. You can discuss with your pupils how to present their knowledge and ideas as part of their project submission for the Our World Awards.
Pupils can work on their project individually, in pairs, small groups or even as a whole class.
Pupils can get creative and submit their finished pieces before March 28th 2025 to be considered for the National Finals.
Links:
Lesson plans - https://ourworldawards.ie/teacher-zone/lesson-plans/
Pupils magazine - https://ourworldawards.ie/pupils-magazine/
Register for your free class packs now so that you can start the learnings with your pupils.
Project entries should be submitted no later than 28th March 2025, but we are accepting entries in at any time from December 2024 through to the closing date!
Submit your pieces, along with a completed entry form via post or email to: Our World Awards, Real Nation, 94 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2 | Email: ourworld@realnation.ie
Links:
Entry form - https://ourworldawards.ie/submission-form/
Email - ourworld@realnation.ie
The creative piece can take any number of forms including multi-media pieces like video clips and recordings.
Your pupils can showcase their learning through a number of ways: writing an article, poem, song, rap; creating drawings, paintings, infographics; video clips of drama performances or advertisements; photographs of their 3D artwork, murals and more! All ideas are welcome!
Note for any videos submitted accepted file types are pdf, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, csv, zip, mp3, jpg, jpeg, png. Max. file size: 50 MB, Max. files: 10.
If pupils complete any large pieces of work, such as 3D models, large murals, posters, artwork etc., you may photograph their work and send us high resolution images.
Please note: It is important to make sure that you complete an Entry Form with a signature and accepted terms and conditions. Remember to clearly label pupils’ work.
Links:
Entry form - https://ourworldawards.ie/submission-form/
Our partner Global Village have excellent resources and professional development courses for teachers. Please see link to their website. www.globalvillageschools.ie. The following publications and websites also have a wonderful range of ideas, resources and materials presented in teacher-friendly and child-friendly interactive style:
One World, Our World Storybook for 10-12 year olds on 5 of Irish Aid’s partner countries. Available free from Irish Aid [PDF]
Concern’s Development Education primary-school resources
Development and Intercultural Education Matters! – A practical guide from the primary classroom is a DVD created by the DICE Project and INTO learning exploring good practice for development and intercultural education. Contact info@dice.ie to request a copy.
Me, You, Everyone (2006) Amnesty International Irish Section.
Oxfam UK has excellent materials, free to download on: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/resources
It is also worth checking out: www.developmenteducation.ie for additional primary classroom resources.
Links:
Concern - https://www.concern.net/schools-and-youth/educational-resources
Me You - https://www.amnesty.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/LIFT-OFF-Me-You-Everyone.pdf
Christian Aid
Concern Worldwide
Goal
Trócaire
UNICEF
Poetry Ireland
Fairtrade Mark Ireland
Bóthar
Links:
Christian Aid - https://www.christianaid.ie/
Concern - https://www.concern.net/
Goal - https://www.goal.ie/
Trocaire - https://www.trocaire.ie/
Unicef - https://www.unicef.ie/
Poetry Ireland - https://www.poetryireland.ie/
Fairtrade Mark - https://www.fairtrade.ie/
Bothar - https://www.bothar.ie/