The Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize is now accepting applications for 2026. It is not a scholarship for a degree. It is a prize for young people who have done something real to protect or advance democracy. The winner gets 10,000 USD, a year of mentorship, and a trip to speak at the Athens Democracy Forum. Nine finalists also get a fully funded place at the One Young World Summit in Cape Town.
Democracy is not doing great these days. Populists, authoritarian leaders, and collapsing governments are everywhere. Kofi Annan believed democracy was a catalyst for better governance and human development. He also believed in young people. This prize is meant to find and celebrate the ones who are actually doing something about the crisis, not just posting about it.
The prize is open to anyone aged 18 to 30. You need to show leadership, submit a short video explaining your work, and provide a letter of support from a recognized democratic organization. No family members, no personal friends, no co-founders. The letter must be in English and explain who you are, what you do, and why it matters.
Programme Details
- Event: Athens Democracy Forum (29 Sept – 2 Oct 2026) and One Young World Summit 2026 (3 – 6 Nov 2026, Cape Town, South Africa).
- Number of awards: One winner + nine finalists.
- Prize value: 10,000 USD for the winner; mentorship with a democracy expert; travel and accommodation to both events.
- Eligible countries: Open to all nationalities.
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Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize Benefits
The winner receives:
- 10,000 USD cash prize.
- One year of mentorship with a recognized democracy expert.
- A fully funded place at the Athens Democracy Forum (29 September – 2 October 2026), including travel and accommodation.
- An invitation to speak at the Forum and co-curate a session on youth and democracy the following year.
Both the winner and the nine finalists receive:
- A fully funded place at the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa (3 – 6 November 2026).
- Economy class return flights to Cape Town.
- Hotel accommodation in a private room from 2 – 7 November 2026.
- Lifetime membership of the One Young World Ambassador Community (20,000+ members in 190+ countries).
- Opportunities to present their work at international fora and connect with past winners.
Note: The winner and finalists must be willing and able to participate in public activities at both the Athens Democracy Forum and the One Young World Summit.
Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize Eligibility Criteria
To apply for this prize, you must meet all of the following:
- Be aged 18 to 30 at the time of application.
- Have demonstrated capacity for leadership (not just claimed it, shown it).
- Be willing to participate in public activities at the Athens Democracy Forum and One Young World Summit 2026.
- Submit a short video outlining your work defending democracy and why you chose to do it.
- Submit your application in English.
- Provide a letter of support from an organisation recognised in the field of protecting and advancing democracy. The writer must:
- State their full name, organization, and title.
- Explain how they know you and for how long.
- Explain their understanding of your role.
- Explain why your work helps protect and advance democracy.
- Write the letter in English.
Note: The letter cannot come from a family member, personal friend, employee, or co‑founder of your organization (if you are also a co‑founder). You need explicit consent from the writer to share their details with One Young World and relevant third parties.
Other Opportunities
Evaluation Criteria
An independent judging panel will look at five things:
- Impact: Did your actions actually change something? Examples: policy change, higher election turnout, number of people reached, students educated, community associations engaged.
- Innovation: Is your approach new or different?
- Sustainability: Have you sustained your work for at least a year? Could it continue or be replicated elsewhere?
- Values: What values do your actions reflect?
- Benefit: What would the prize add to your work? International visibility, support, networks?
How to Apply for the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize
Eligible applicants must complete the online form. No other method is accepted.
- Go to the official application portal.
- Create an account or log in.
- Fill in the form, upload your video, and provide the details of your letter of support (the letter itself is part of the application process, follow the portal instructions).
- Submit before the deadline.
Required Documents (via the online form)
- Short video (content and length as specified on the platform).
- Details of your leadership role and your work defending democracy.
- Contact information and letter of support (submitted by your referee or uploaded – check the portal).
- All in English.
The application deadline is . Late submissions will not be considered. The winner and finalists will be notified in time to arrange travel to the Athens Democracy Forum (29 September – 2 October 2026) and the One Young World Summit in Cape Town (3 – 6 November 2026). For more details on the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize, read the official page on the One Young World website.