Deadline: March 20, 2026
Applications are open for the GCSP Prize for Transformative Futures in Peace and Security 2026. Under the leadership of Ambassador Thomas Greminger, Executive Director of the GCSP, the Prize for Transformative Futures in Peace and Security was initiated by Professor Nayef Al-Rodhan, Director of the Geopolitics and Global Futures Department, and Ms Anne-Caroline Pissis Martel, Director of the Global Fellowship Initiative and Creative Spark. It seeks to reward groundbreaking concepts that offer exceptional promise in addressing peace and security challenges. The inaugural edition of the prize was awarded in 2023.
Submissions may come from any country, but the potential impact of the concepts submitted should extend beyond national borders in their scope or thinking. Concepts from a wide variety of fields may be eligible for consideration, including, but not restricted to, transformative technologies, pandemics, biothreats, autonomous weapons, climate change, human rights, cybersecurity, education, or disarmament, for example.
Prizes
- The first-place prize consists of a fully funded two-month incubation programme at the GCSP’s Creative Spark in Geneva (valued at CHF 15,000 and to be completed within one year of the award), along with a prize trophy and a certificate of excellence.
- The second- and third-place recipients will receive certificates of recognition, and the two honourable mentions will receive certificates of honourable mention. No cash equivalent or alternative will be provided.
Eligibility
- The prize is awarded for groundbreaking concepts by any individual, group of individuals, or organisation (from private or public sectors), that offer exceptional potential in addressing peace and security challenges.
- Submissions may come from any country, but the potential impact of the concepts should go beyond national borders in their reach or thinking and seek to address global peace and security challenges in innovative and creative ways.
- Employees, staff, current fellows and current participants of the GCSP, as well as their family members, are not eligible participants. For the above categories to be eligible participants, a period of 1 year since the termination of the relationship with the GCSP must be respected.
Selection Criteria
The panel of judges will select the winners – first, second, and third place, along with two honourable mentions – based on the following criteria:
- Dedication to sustainable global peace and security;
- Creativity;
- Originality;
- Transformative potential;
- Sustainability;
- Incubation potential;
- Implementation potential;
- Potential impact on peace and security.
Application
All entries must be sent via the online submission form in order to be considered for the prize, and shall include:
- a project concept abstract of 250 words maximum;
- a well-developed project concept description which should not exceed 750 words in length;
- a description of the technical process of the project concept submitted (if applicable);
- an estimate of the budget required for the project concept;
- an explanation of how the project concept provides a novel contribution to the field of global peace and security;
- a description of the short-term and long-term impact of the project concept in the field of global peace and security;
- up to five image files (optional).
For more information, visit GCSP Prize.
