Since 2018, Engagement Global in cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Service Agency Communities in One World (SKEW) has been issued arwards to municipalities in Germany and their partner municipalities in the Global South that are particularly committed to implementing the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in an exemplary manner.

The aim of the award is to identify examples of particularly successful partnerships with a model character, to put them in focus of a broader public and to present them as good practices to other German and international municipalities. The National German Sustainability Award Global Partnerships is intended to honor municipalities and at the same time to encourage them to contribute to municipal development cooperation as multipliers.

By filling out a questionnaire, German cities, municipalities and counties have presented partnerships with municipalities in the Global South (BMZ's DAC list) that promote the 2030 Agenda by October 22, 2020. The partnership must be current or have been concluded for no longer than 12 months. The partnership must have a clear focus on SDGs, concrete efforts to implement the sustainability goals in Germany and/or the partner country, a high sustainability impact and medium-term prospects for continuation and success.

Applications will be evaluated by the assessment partners of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy and the German Development Institute (DIE). The finalists can contribute video statements to the application. The jury of experts will choose the winners, who will be announced at the German Sustainability Award ceremony on December 4, 2020 in Düsseldorf. The representatives of both municipalities will accept the award together – as far as this year's circumstances allow.