Apply for United Nations (UN) Youth Townhall 2026 – Fully Funded to Heidelberg, Germany

Application Deadline: September 7, 2026 (11:59 PM ET)

About the Townhall

Applications are now open for the 2026 United Nations (UN) Youth Townhall, a groundbreaking event that will bring together over 1,000 young people, leaders, and stakeholders in Heidelberg, Germany. This inaugural UN Youth Townhall aims to foster intergenerational trust, strengthen connections, and create new opportunities for collaboration among youth, governments, the United Nations, civil society, the private sector, and other partners. Convened by the United Nations Youth Office in collaboration with various partners, the event is designed to serve as a dynamic platform for transforming dialogue into tangible commitments, building strategic partnerships, and agreeing on actionable measures to advance youth priorities, enhance young people’s participation in decision-making processes, and promote global cooperation. A key focus of the Townhall is to promote inclusion and diversity by actively engaging young people from communities that are often marginalized or excluded from international spaces, ensuring that a broad spectrum of voices is heard and represented. Additionally, the event seeks to reduce fragmentation across the global youth ecosystem by fostering stronger connections and collaboration among the many actors working toward a shared youth agenda. Ultimately, the UN Youth Townhall represents a vital step toward empowering young people as key drivers of change and ensuring their meaningful participation in shaping a more inclusive and sustainable future.

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
• Broad geographic representation, gender balance, and inclusion of young people and communities often underrepresented in international policy and decision-making spaces

Scope of 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 Criteria

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 engaging in the English language
• Available to actively engage in all the days of the event and in preparatory meetings

Benefits

Selected participants will receive fully funded support including:

• 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 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.

The following criteria will be used for selection:

• Motivation to actively participate in the event, preparation sessions, and follow-up actions after the event
• Experience in engaging/working with grassroots 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

Selection will consider gender balance, geographical representation, and youth from underrepresented and marginalized groups.

How to Apply

Application Link: Click here to apply