Deadline: September 7, 2026
Applications are open for the United Nations Youth Townhall 2026. Young people are driving change around the world — from climate action and peacebuilding to technology, education, human rights and entrepreneurship. At the same time, many young people still face barriers to participating in decisions and processes that shape their lives and futures.
The first-ever UN Youth Townhall will bring over 1,000 participants together in Heidelberg, Germany, to build intergenerational trust, strengthen connections and create new opportunities for collaboration.
Convened by the United Nations Youth Office together with partners, the Townhall will bring young people, governments, the United Nations, civil society, the private sector and others into one space. At its core, the Townhall seeks to:
- Strengthen inclusion and diversity — broadening participation in global youth engagement by reaching young people and communities too often excluded from international spaces and processes.
- Reduce fragmentation across the ecosystem — creating stronger connections and collaboration between the many actors working across the global youth agenda.
- Shape a collective path forward — enabling stakeholders to transform dialogue into commitments, build partnerships, and agree on actionable measures to accelerate progress on youth priorities, their participation in decision-making and global cooperation.
Funding
- A limited number of funding opportunities are available for young people.
Eligibility
- Young people, organizations, institutions and partners from around the world are invited to join for the UN Youth Townhall;
- Applicants should be ideally between 18-35 years of age;
- Selection will consider gender balance, geographical representation and youth from underrepresented and marginalized groups. Preference will be given to applicants engaged in a grassroots organization who have had limited or no prior engagement with the UN.
Application
Completing the application will take approximately 30-45 minutes. Submit it by 7 September 2026, midnight ET.
For more information, visit UN Youth Townhall.
