Final entry deadline
(4 submissions free of registration fees):
October 2, 2026
Online Judging:
October 7–10, 2026
Winners Notified:
October 12, 2026
Gathering of Judges
(Geneva, Switzerland):
October 29, 2026
Volunteer Experience:
November 19-20, 2026
About us
The idea for the Luum Awards came together during the pandemic, inspired by the acts of solidarity seen around the world at that time. The festival organizers created the Luum Awards to recognize the creative works that are promoting a better world, firmly believing in the power of communicators to serve as global change agents.
To promote this goal, every year, we put together a team of first-rate judges, made up of leaders of NGOs, brands, and advertising agencies, to evaluate creative and strategic pieces that promote messages related to making the world a better place.
We are the first global creative festival to go zero-paper. Additionally, since 2024, we have held our events in host cities other than Switzerland, where the festival is registered, choosing instead to host our events in the Global South, where we can help communities in need with investment and social/environmental volunteer efforts. By becoming a volunteer, you can help us achieve our goal!
When you participate in Luum you help us support in-need communities. For example, in 2024, we hosted an event in Peru’s Sacred Valley, which resulted in USD $60,000 in direct and indirect investments entering the local economy in a primarily impoverished indigenous region of Peru.
News
The global initiative launched by the Luum Awards
Thousands of associations, communities and small and medium-sized NGOs struggle day-in and day-out to address the world’s social and environmental challenges, without the help of communications agencies or marketing experts. This undoubtedly affects their ability to fulfill their objectives.
Wakii seeks to accompany these NGOs on their missions, so that, with appropriate strategies they can secure more resources and with creativity they can continue to change lives through more powerful messaging.
There are many “invisible” causes that need our attention, while everyone focuses on the same “trending” issues. For example, we need more people talking about forestry, cultural protection of displaced indigenous communities, education for children with visual impairments, lifestyle support for people with spina bifida, care for homeless elderly populations, etc.
If you belong to an agency or brand, you can become a global change agent.
Changing lives with Luum Awards and Wakii
Luum & Wakii 2026 Venues
Hilton Convention Center (Geneva, Switzerland):
Where we will evaluate the festival’s best submissions
Costa Rica:
The Luum Awards has selected Costa Rica as the host country for its 2026 awards ceremony and volunteer experience.
Meet our 2026 judges
We are convinced that creative communications can help us make the world a better place. We CAN be global change agents! To achieve this, we have assembled a first-rate team of festival judges, made up of leaders from NGOs, advertising companies, and creative agencies from around the world.
Melissa Charland
Executive Creative Director | VML, Canada
Montreal-based VML Canada Executive Creative Director Mélissa Charland creates award-winning work with one simple rule: never lose the fun. She believes the best ideas make people feel something and is driven by bold ideas that are as emotionally resonant as they are strategically sharp. As a juror, she looks for clarity, audacity, and the kind of creativity people remember long after they’ve seen it.
Henrique Tanji
Founder & Creative Director | Bumblebeat, United States
Tanji is an award‑winning composer and creative whose work sits at the intersection of music, strategy and daring ideas a Grammy member and Emmy Sports 2026 nominee. A juror at Cannes Lions and LIA (2024) and named the 6th most awarded creative in the world by D&AD, he co‑founded Bumblebeat, which with its partners has amassed 155 Cannes Lions (including five Grand Prix in Audio), a Grand Clio and Clio Health in Audio Craft, and was crowned Audio Company of the Year in 2026. He’s also a guest speaker at Berklee College of Music.
Henrique crafts work for Porsche, NIKE, Coca‑Cola, Unilever, P&G and a roster of global brands, blending sonic excellence with strategic clarity to make ideas that move people and deliver measurable impact.
Luis Enríque Madruga
CCO | VML, LATAM & México
With more than 20 years of experience, Luis Madruga has earned over 950 international awards and honors, including more than 50 Cannes Lions, among them Mexico’s first Titanium Lion and 10 Gold Lions; more than 10 D&AD Pencils; Mexico’s first-ever Grand Prix at The One Show and the country’s first Grand Prix at the ADC Awards. He has also been recognized at The Webby Awards, The ANDY Awards, London International Awards, FIAP, WAVE Festival, and El Ojo de Iberoamérica. Throughout his career, he has worked with leading brands such as Citibank, BMW, MINI, Abbott, L’Oréal, Coca-Cola, and Telefónica Movistar.
Madruga has played a key role in building some of Mexico’s most successful creative teams. Under his leadership, VML has been named Agency of the Year by the Círculo Creativo de México in 10 of the last 11 years, including seven consecutive years as VML. The agency was also recognized as Mexican Agency of the Year at El Ojo de Iberoamérica in 2017, 2018, and 2019, and more recently was named Mexico’s Best Agency and the second-best agency in Ibero-America. In the same ranking, Madruga was recognized as Mexico’s top creative professional and the second-best in Ibero-America.
As Chief Creative Officer of VML LATAM & Mexico, he has established the network as one of the region’s leading creative organizations. Under his leadership, VML has consistently been Mexico’s most awarded agency over the past five years and has topped the La Crema Ibero-American Ranking as Mexico’s best agency for two consecutive years.
His career has also been widely recognized by the industry. In 2023 and 2025, he was named Mexico’s Best Creative Agency Professional by SCOPEN, one of the industry’s most respected reputation studies, based on interviews with leading advertisers and industry executives.
Alejandra Rozo Ruda
Associate Creative Director | DAVID, Colombia
Alejandra Rozo is a Colombian Associate Creative Director at DAVID Bogotá, known for her bold visual craft and distinctive use of color. With more than a decade of experience, she has created award-winning work for global and local brands, earning recognition at Cannes Lions, D&AD, Clio Awards, LIA, and The One Show, including a Cannes Titanium Lion. Beyond her agency work, she is the co-founder of Círculo de Creativas Colombia, an initiative dedicated to empowering and connecting women in the creative industry.
Meylin Castro
Creative Director | el taier DDB Centro, Guatemala
I’m Meylin Castro, a Guatemalan Creative Director, writer, and woman with a hearing disability. I believe the best ideas are the ones that make people feel seen, understood, and represented.
For more than a decade, I’ve helped brands build ideas that connect with people in meaningful ways. I love solving problems, building brands, and creating more opportunities for diverse voices to be heard. I’m honored to join the Luum Awards 2026 jury and excited to celebrate ideas that create real social and environmental impact.
