Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards 2026 – YOA

Deadline: May 17, 2026

Applications are open for the Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards 2026. The Heroes of Tomorrow are the individuals taking daring motion. Fearless and chronic, they’re in each nation. Often working quietly in opposition to the chances to construct a sustainable, simply and peaceable future, they remind us that there’s at all times hope, and that progress begins with individuals. They are the Heroes of Tomorrow.

Each 12 months, the Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards programme champions Changemakers like Jîn Dawod (2025 Winner), a psychological well being visionary, who reworked her expertise as a Syrian refugee into life-altering help for displaced communities throughout 26 nations, and Julienne Lusenge (2025 Winner), a human rights defender who helps hundreds of survivors of gender-primarily based violence, whereas advancing peacebuilding within the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In 2026, the UN SDG Action Campaign will carry collectively 9 inspiring Finalists from all around the world for a novel program of teaching and capability constructing main as much as the stay Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony, the place the Winners are unveiled.

This 12 months’s Ceremony will happen on Thursday, 29 October 2026 in Rome, Italy. It will attain world audiences via UN WebTV and RAI, Italy’s nationwide broadcaster.

Categories

• Changemaker: The Changemaker Award honours people main collective motion in direction of justice, equality, and peace. Individuals can nominate themselves or others for this Award. Successful Changemakers reveal visionary management and the power to make measurable, lasting affect inside their communities and past.
• Creativity: The Creativity Award honours initiatives that encourage hope and motion via visible expression, artwork, innovation and extra. Initiatives can apply for this Award. Successful initiatives reveal how creativity drives measurable affect by inspiring motion, shifting behaviours or public perceptions, and/or influencing coverage.
• Resilience: The Resilience Award honours initiatives constructing resilience within the face of conflicts, inequalities, or local weather change. Initiatives can apply for this Award. Successful initiatives reveal adaptability, perseverance, and tangible ends in overcoming environmental, financial, political, or social challenges to construct extra sustainable, inclusive, and equitable societies.

Benefits

Finalists and Winners obtain the next:

• Travel to Rome, Italy – One consultant from every Finalist initiative will probably be invited to attend the Finalist Programme and Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards Ceremony in Rome, Italy, with journey prices lined by the UN SDG Action Campaign.
• Global recognition – Finalists and Winners acquire worldwide visibility via the UN SDG Action Campaign’s world communication channels, RAI, Italy’s public nationwide broadcaster, and different media shops.
• Customized trophy – Each Finalist and Winner receives a custom-made trophy in recognition of their achievement.

Eligibility

• To be eligible, candidates should reveal confirmed, measurable outcomes achieved throughout the previous three years that align with one of the three classes.
• Initiatives which might be nonetheless within the planning or idea levels usually are not eligible, nor are Finalists or Winners from earlier editions of the Awards.

Judging Criteria

All functions and (self-)nominations will probably be assessed on the next standards:

• Impact: The measurable affect and tangible change the initiative has achieved to this point. Applicants should spotlight the outcomes of the initiative and supply quantitative outcomes.
• Scalabaility and Replicability: The potential for the initiative to develop or be replicated elsewhere. Applicants should define any present or future plans to develop, together with the strategy and timeline.
• Novelty and Innovation: What makes the initiative modern. Applicants should clarify the particular thought, technique or strategy that units it aside from present efforts.

Application

Application and (self-)nominations may be submitted till Sunday, 17 May 2026 at 23:59 EST.

Click here to apply

For extra info, go to Heroes of Tomorrow: UN SDG Action Awards.