UN Youth Townhall 2026 in Germany

The United Nations Youth Office has opened a call for contributions to the first United Nations Youth Townhall, scheduled to take place from December 8 to December 10, 2026, in Heidelberg, Germany. The initiative aims to strengthen meaningful youth participation in decision making by bringing young people together with policymakers, government representatives, United Nations entities, civil society organisations, researchers, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders.

The Townhall is designed to create an institutional space where young people can exchange ideas with decision makers, discuss major global challenges and contribute to practical solutions. It will focus on sustainable development, peace and security, human rights, intergenerational partnerships and stronger collaboration between organisations working on youth priorities.

The current call is specifically intended for United Nations entities, offices, teams, United Nations Country Teams and relevant multi stakeholder initiatives involving the United Nations. Participating institutions can express interest in organising interactive sessions, joining the Global Youth Fair, providing experts and speakers, or offering other forms of support that contribute to the event.

About the Opportunity

The UN Youth Townhall is being led by the United Nations Youth Office and developed through the extended Joint Working Group on Youth2030. It seeks to improve cooperation between young people and institutions responsible for policy development, public services and international cooperation.

Young people are already contributing to community development, entrepreneurship, advocacy, innovation, peacebuilding and public policy. However, their participation in formal decision making can be limited by barriers to access, representation and collaboration. The Townhall seeks to help address these challenges by creating opportunities for direct engagement between youth and institutional leaders.

The event will bring together more than 1,000 participants, including young leaders, representatives of youth led organisations and movements, public sector leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers and representatives of governments, the United Nations, academia, civil society and the private sector.

The programme is connected to major United Nations frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals, the Pact for the Future, Youth2030 and the UN Youth Compass. These frameworks provide a foundation for discussions about youth participation, global cooperation and practical responses to shared challenges.

Opportunity Benefits

Participating institutions can contribute to the Townhall in several ways.

• Institutional visibility: Present relevant programmes, initiatives, research and experience to an international audience.

• Youth engagement: Create opportunities for young people to interact directly with experts, policymakers and decision makers.

• Knowledge exchange: Share practical approaches, lessons and evidence from work related to youth development and global priorities.

• Partnership building: Connect with organisations and stakeholders working on similar challenges across different sectors and regions.

• Contribution to global priorities: Help shape discussions around sustainable development, peace and security, human rights and youth participation.

• Programme development: Collaborate with the Townhall organisers on sessions, exhibitions, speaker contributions and other activities.

• Intergenerational cooperation: Encourage collaboration between younger generations and established institutions.

The call does not specify a financial award or travel funding package for contributing institutions. Organisations should therefore confirm any relevant participation costs and arrangements directly with the organisers.

Areas of Contribution

Interested United Nations entities and initiatives can propose contributions in the following areas.

• Interactive sessions: Design and deliver sessions that encourage discussion, participation and direct engagement between young people and institutional representatives.

• Global Youth Fair: Showcase programmes, partnerships, projects and approaches that support youth participation and development.

• Expert and speaker contributions: Provide specialists, speakers or other knowledgeable representatives who can contribute to discussions and share relevant experience.

• Other forms of support: Propose additional contributions that could help deliver the Townhall and advance its objectives.

Proposed activities should support meaningful youth participation and connect with the wider aims of the event. Organisations may draw on their existing programmes, expertise and partnerships when developing their proposals.

Key Themes

The Townhall will provide space for discussion and collaboration across several important areas.

• Sustainable development: Exploring how youth engagement can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals and community development.

• Peace and security: Highlighting young people's roles in peacebuilding, dialogue, conflict prevention and community resilience.

• Human rights: Supporting youth participation in rights based advocacy, policy discussions and efforts to promote inclusion.

• Youth participation in decision making: Strengthening opportunities for young people to influence decisions that affect their communities and futures.

• Intergenerational partnerships: Connecting youth perspectives and innovation with institutional knowledge and policy experience.

• Global cooperation: Encouraging organisations working on youth issues to coordinate their efforts and identify opportunities for joint action.

Eligibility Criteria

The call is intended for institutional contributors within the United Nations system and relevant initiatives involving the United Nations. Potential contributors identified in the announcement include:

• United Nations entities and offices.

• United Nations teams operating at global, regional or country level.

• United Nations Country Teams.

• Relevant multi stakeholder initiatives involving the United Nations.

• Institutional teams interested in delivering sessions, contributing to the Global Youth Fair, providing speakers or experts, or offering other relevant support.

This call does not establish an individual age, nationality or academic qualification requirement because it is directed at institutional participation rather than individual youth applications.

Required Application Information

The expression of interest form requests information about the participating institution and its designated focal point. Applicants should be prepared to provide:

• Name of the United Nations entity, office or team.

• Division, department or office.

• Country, region or global level of operation.

• Full name of the institutional focal point.

• Job title of the focal point.

• Email address of the focal point.

The form contains six sections and is estimated to take approximately 20 minutes to complete. Institutions should identify an appropriate contact person and decide what type of contribution they wish to propose before starting the process.

Selection and Next Steps

Submitting an expression of interest allows an institution to indicate its interest in contributing to the Townhall. It does not automatically confirm participation.

According to the announcement, selected contributors will be contacted about the next steps. These may involve developing detailed session concepts, arranging participation in the Global Youth Fair, coordinating speakers and addressing technical requirements.

Institutions can prepare by identifying a clear contribution, explaining how it would support meaningful youth participation and connecting the proposal to relevant United Nations priorities. They should also consider the practical requirements needed to deliver the proposed activity.

How to Apply

Interested institutional teams should follow these steps:

1. Review the opportunity: Read the official UN Youth Townhall information and confirm that the proposed contribution fits the institutional call.
2. Identify the contribution: Decide whether the institution would like to organise an interactive session, participate in the Global Youth Fair, provide speakers or experts, or offer another form of support.
3. Prepare institutional details: Gather the organisation's name, division or office, geographic level of operation and designated focal point's contact information.
4. Complete the expression of interest: Use the application form linked in the announcement to submit the institutional proposal.
5. Submit before the deadline: Ensure the expression of interest is submitted by October 14, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
6. Monitor follow up communication: If selected for further development, be prepared to provide additional information and coordinate with the Townhall organisers.