Press Release
15 November 2022
PATTAYA CITY, THAILAND, 15 November 2022 – On the day the global population reaches 8 billion, UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, and award-winning digital artist Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm are launching the agency’s first-ever NFT collection. Titled “Stronger Together, the collection reflects and pays tribute to humanity’s collective ingenuity that has led to the impressive advances in health care and reductions in global poverty that have enabled the population to reach 8 billion.
Created exclusively for the occasion, the 800 pieces utilize innovative technologies while emphasizing the human experiences that unite us all. To generate the artwork, Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm trained an artificial intelligence algorithm to recognize patterns in thousands of images sourced from UNFPA’s digital photo archive.
The resulting portraits are both visually striking and technologically unique. Hosted on the energy-efficient Ethereum blockchain, the artworks transform every time they change ownership – a nod to the demographic shifts and infinite possibilities at the heart of UNFPA’s 8 billion campaign.
“Inspired by the underlying themes of growth and diversity, each artwork celebrates what makes us unique as individuals. At the same time, the images create a unified series that reflects our strength and power as a collective. Stronger Together is an endless meditation on our shared humanity, pushing past the limitations of our collective imaginations,” says Waagner Falkenstrøm.
The initiative also marks UNFPA’s first venture into the Web 3 space. “We believe that in a world of 8 billion people, we can unlock 8 billion opportunities. Innovation can open up new possibilities for UNFPA, including new ways of fundraising,” says UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. “We are excited to work with such a visionary artist.”
All profits from the collection will go towards UNFPA’s work supporting maternal health, sexual and reproductive health, and preventing gender-based violence.
Priced at 0.02 ETH (around 25 USD), the 800-piece collection will drop on November 17th at 12.30 pm GMT.
About Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm:
Cecilie Waagner Falkenstrøm is an award-winning artist and founder of the art-tech studio ARTificial Mind. Cecilie and her team explore what it means to be human in the 21st century by combining cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain with a keen artistic eye. Her previous exhibitions include the Victoria and Albert Museum and Ars Electronica. She also created the first artificial intelligence artwork in space aboard NASA’s International Space Station. Cecilie is the recipient of the prestigious Lumen Prize and TECHNE Award.
About UNFPA:
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. UNFPA’s mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA calls for the realisation of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services, including voluntary family planning, quality maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
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