^{27 April 2026}  

At the World Resources Institute (WRI) Ross Center Prize for Cities awards celebration in New York, RISE stood alongside some of the world’s most significant, innovative urban initiatives. Five pioneering projects were centre stage the night of April 20, all finalists for reshaping urban life and offering practical, transferable lessons for cities worldwide.

^{Third from left, RISE Program Director, Prof Diego Ramirez-Lovering on stage with fellow WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities finalists in New York recently.}

The RISE team extends our warm congratulations to the Move As One Coalition on winning this year’s Prize, and are honoured that our program has been recognised on such a prestigious global stage. We were one of just five finalists from 334 submissions across 230 cities in 77 countries, representing a significant global endorsement of RISE’s vision and impact.

RISE Program Director, Professor Diego Ramirez-Lovering, said being named a finalist on the world stage is an important moment for RISE. “This nomination recognises that the work we are doing with communities is meaningful at a local level and also resonates globally as cities search for practical, inclusive solutions to complex challenges,” said Professor Ramirez-Lovering.

^{The RISE contingent, from left: Noor Ilhamsyah, Kerrie Burge, Intan Putri, Winanto Adi (Indonesian Consul General in New York), Diego Ramirez-Lovering, Tony Wong,  and Staff of the Indonesian Consul General at the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities awards celebration.}

The nomination shone a spotlight on our unique approach to improve lives for residents of urban informal settlements. The Prize shared with a global audience, our nature-based, water-sensitive infrastructure program, co-designed by communities, adapted to local context and integrated with a randomised controlled trial.

^{Above from left: Kerrie Burge, Tony Wong, Noor Ilhamsyah, Intan Putri, Diego Ramirez-Lovering, at the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities awards exhibition.}

As part of the Prize process, members of the RISE team joined fellow finalists at Yale University, where urban leaders and researchers reflected on what made their work possible, the challenges they faced, and the lessons others can draw from their experience. Hosted by the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities in collaboration with the Hixon Center for Urban Sustainability and the Yale School of the Environment BIOMES Seminar Series, the interactive workshop fostered mutual learning and helped build a global community of practice focused on advancing urban climate action.

_{Above: RISE’s Director of Upscaling, Tony Wong, discussing RISE at the post award presentations and workshop.}

RISE Build Project Coordinator in Indonesia, Intan Putri, said meeting fellow finalists and global experts at the workshops was a valuable experience. “Sharing our learnings and experience can help us translate evidence into action across diverse urban contexts,” she said.

^{Above: Intan Putri and Noor Ilhamsyah from the RISE Makassar team were part of the conversation about improving life in urban cities.}

Being part of such a distinguished group of finalists - The Atlanta Beltline, Sistema Verde Urbano in Loja, and The Book Bunk in Nairobi - highlights the shared global momentum toward creating healthier, more sustainable cities. For RISE, it is both a moment of pride and an opportunity to contribute to a broader conversation about transforming urban challenges into inclusive, practical solutions through community participation and improved access, mobility, and essential services.

“The nomination has allowed us to share the voices and experiences of our partner communities in Makassar and Fiji with a global audience,” added Professor Ramirez-Lovering. “That visibility is incredibly important.  Locally grounded solutions are part of shaping future urban policy and practice.”

^{Third from left, RISE Program Director, Prof Diego Ramirez-Lovering discussing the RISE program at the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities awards ceremony.}

RISE extends its sincere thanks to the WRI for recognising and supporting our important work. Being a finalist celebrates our progress to date and commitment to help urban informal settlements globally, where polluted water and inadequate sanitation are leading causes of preventable diseases.

As the global conversation around climate resilience, health, and urban equity grows, RISE remains focused on delivering lasting impact, working hand in hand with communities and government to upgrade informal cities to be healthier, more inclusive, and better prepared for the future.

_{*Photos courtesy of WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities}