RISE 2026 brings school-led sustainability ideas to Alliance Française de Delhi

Students will develop research-backed models and prototypes addressing Delhi-NCR’s urban challenges at the RISE Innovation Cup.

The competition is part of RISE 2026, or Re-Imagining School Education, a two-day festival scheduled for October 23 and 24 at Alliance Française de Delhi. Author and educationist Vaishali Gupta curates the festival, a joint initiative of Alliance Française de Delhi and One Teacher One Scientist that is aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This year’s theme, “Cultures for Innovation”, links food, textiles, language, art and music with sustainable living. Microsoft will support the Innovation Cup; an expert jury will assess entries and mentor the winning teams.

The programme includes workshops on millet-based French cuisine, herb gardening, upcycling and sustainable fashion. Teachers will also attend sessions on the Innovation Cycle and using the SDGs in classroom learning.

Students can take part in a French-language Model United Nations, an inter-school SDG Treasure Hunt, film screenings and Frindi, where participants blend French and Hindi songs.

France’s Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou and UN Resident Coordinator in India Stefan Priesner are scheduled to inaugurate Science Day and RISE 2026 at 4:30 pm.