Application Deadline: 7 September 2026, 11:59 ET
Applications are now open for the 2026 United Nations (UN) Youth Townhall. 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:
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.
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.
Programme Details
- More than 1,000 participants are expected to join the Townhall, including young leaders and representatives of youth-led organizations and movements, public sector leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators and researchers, as well as representatives from governments, the United Nations, civil society, academia, philanthropy and the private sector.
- The Townhall seeks broad geographic representation, gender balance and the inclusion of young people and communities that are often underrepresented in international policy and decision-making spaces.
Scope of the engagement
- Participate in all sessions of the 2026 UN Youth Townhall, taking place between 8-10 December 2026 in Heidelberg, Germany.
- Engage in preparatory sessions and experience sharing opportunities ahead of the event, ensuring safe and meaningful participation.
- Commit to follow-up actions at local or national level after attending the event
Eligibility
Young people seeking to apply should be:
- Between 18 and 35 years old at the time of the event
- Engaged in grassroots, local, national, regional or global youth-led initiatives, projects, groups, movements or organizations
- Comfortable to engage in the English language
- Available to actively engage in all the days of the event and in preparatory meetings
Benefits
- Roundtrip travel ticket from the country of residence to the venue of the event and back.
- Terminal Expenses (transportation to/from the airport, based on fixed UN rates).
- Daily subsistence allowance based on fixed UN rates at the time of the travel.
- Reimbursement of visa fee(s) after trip completion, upon submission of receipt.
- Support with reasonable accommodations for young persons with disabilities.
- Letter of invitation to support visa-related processes.
- Provision of information on safe engagement in UN conferences and meetings.
- Preparatory information, including relevant event materials and reading sources ahead of the event.
Selection Criteria
Final selection of youth participants will be made by the UN Youth Office, with support from online volunteers and the Youth Advisory Group to the UN Youth Townhall. Selection will consider gender balance, geographical representation and youth from underrepresented and marginalized groups.
The following criteria will be used for the selection of participants:
- Motivation to actively participate in the event, preparation sessions and follow-up actions after the event.
- Experience in engaging/working with grassroot organizations/networks and/or volunteer work related to sustainable development, human rights and/or peace and security across a range of themes.
- Experience and expertise in youth leadership, youth-led advocacy and/or intergenerational collaboration
If you have any questions, please reach out to the UN Youth Office at: [email protected].
Apply Now for the 2026 United Nations (UN) Youth Townhall
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the United Nations (UN) Youth Townhall
