UNA
The United Nations Association in Canada (UNA Canada) is inviting young people to participate in the 2026 Youth Global Citizen Prize, a national creative competition encouraging youth to reflect on global citizenship and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Relaunched as UNA Canada's 80th anniversary initiative, the prize invites young people to communicate their ideas about global challenges and explain how they would contribute to positive change.
The central challenge is simple: Which Sustainable Development Goal matters most to you, and how would you help advance it? Applicants can respond through an original essay, poem, spoken word performance, visual or digital artwork, photography, short film, music or another creative format approved by UNA Canada.
The competition offers C$2,500 in total prize support, sponsored by Solara Path. Seven prizes are available: one Youth Global Citizen Grand Prize of C$1,000, two Global Citizen Impact Prizes of C$500 each, and four Emerging Global Citizen Prizes of C$125 each.
UNA Canada is a national organisation that promotes understanding of the United Nations, global citizenship and international cooperation. Through educational initiatives and public engagement, it encourages Canadians to consider how local actions and informed participation can contribute to addressing challenges that affect people around the world.
The Youth Global Citizen Prize provides a platform for young people to express their understanding of global citizenship through original creative work. Rather than limiting entries to traditional academic writing, the competition welcomes different forms of expression, recognising that young people can communicate ideas through art, storytelling, performance, photography and digital media.
The competition is built around the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a framework of 17 interconnected goals addressing issues such as poverty, education, health, gender equality, clean water, climate change, sustainable communities, peace and justice.
Participants are encouraged to select the goal that matters most to them and explain how they would help advance it. The objective is to connect awareness of global issues with personal perspectives, creativity, leadership and ideas for meaningful action.
The competition offers C$2,500 in total prize support across seven awards.
• Youth Global Citizen Grand Prize: One award of C$1,000 for an outstanding submission demonstrating clarity, creativity, global awareness and potential for impact.
• Global Citizen Impact Prize: Two awards of C$500 each for submissions connecting global issues with meaningful action, leadership or community impact.
• Emerging Global Citizen Prize: Four awards of C$125 each for promising and original youth voices demonstrating creativity, potential and future leadership.
• Creative freedom: Applicants can choose from several formats, including writing, photography, art, film, music and spoken word.
• Individual or team participation: Eligible young people can submit independently or collaborate with other eligible participants.
• Opportunity to communicate ideas: Participants can share their perspectives on sustainable development and demonstrate how they would contribute to a global goal.
The prize money is awarded to selected entries rather than all applicants. Submitting work does not guarantee a prize, and the competition should not be interpreted as a scholarship or a funded study programme.
The Youth Global Citizen Prize is open to young people who meet the following requirements.
Age requirement: Applicants must be between 14 and 30 years old, inclusive, on the application deadline.
Canadian eligibility: Applicants must be Canadian citizens, permanent residents of Canada or individuals currently residing in Canada. Young people living outside Canada who do not meet one of these conditions are not eligible simply because they are interested in the competition.
Individual and team entries: Both types of submissions are accepted. Every member of a team must meet the age and Canadian eligibility requirements.
Original work: All submissions must be original and owned by the applicant or participating team.
Language: Entries may be submitted in English or French. Other languages may be accepted when accompanied by an English or French translation or transcript.
One entry per person: Each individual may participate in only one submission, whether as an individual entrant or as part of a team.
Applicants under the age of majority in their province or territory may need parent or guardian consent for participation, publicity and prize administration.
Every submission should respond to the question: Which Sustainable Development Goal matters most to you, and how would you help advance it?
A strong submission should connect its central idea with a clear perspective on the chosen goal. It should demonstrate originality, awareness of the issue and thoughtful consideration of possible action.
UNA Canada welcomes different creative approaches, allowing participants to choose a format that best communicates their ideas.
Applicants may submit an essay or written reflection of up to 800 words. PDF is the preferred format.
This option is suitable for participants who want to explain why a Sustainable Development Goal matters to them, discuss a relevant challenge and describe their proposed contribution.
Participants can use poetry or spoken word to communicate their perspectives. Submissions may be up to five pages, preferably in PDF format, with optional audio or video.
Applicants may submit one to three artworks or one cohesive mini series. Preferred formats include PNG, JPEG or PDF.
Artwork should communicate an original idea connected to the competition question.
Participants can submit up to five photographs as a single entry. The preferred formats are JPEG or a PDF portfolio.
Applicants may submit a short film or video of up to five minutes. Accepted formats include MP4, MOV or a viewable link.
Participants can express their ideas through an original musical composition or song of up to five minutes. Submissions may be provided as an MP3 or viewable link, with lyrics or a transcript where applicable.
Other formats may be considered if they are comparable in scope to the listed options and receive approval from UNA Canada.
Applicants should check the official guidelines for the preferred file formats and any further instructions before submitting their work.
Originality is a central condition of the competition. All entries must be created and owned by the applicant or the applicant's team.
Generative artificial intelligence must not be used to create, write, design or substantially develop submission content. Entries must reflect the applicants' own ideas, creativity and effort.
Basic spelling, grammar and accessibility tools are permitted, provided they do not generate or substantially change the original work. Applicants should not use AI generated essays, artwork, scripts, songs or other substantive content as their competition entry.
Entrants should also ensure they have permission to use any third party copyrighted material included in their work. Physical artwork should not be mailed unless UNA Canada specifically requests it; high quality digital images may be used for assessment.
Applicants should retain ownership of their submissions and review the official terms concerning how UNA Canada may display, reproduce or share submitted work for prize related communications, promotion, education and recognition.
Interested applicants should use the official UNA Canada Youth Global Citizen Prize page to access the current submission instructions.
UNA
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