Deadline: 1-Sep-25
Nominations are now open for the UNESCO Prize for Global Citizenship Education (GCED), a prestigious recognition aimed at celebrating impactful projects and initiatives advancing GCED across the globe.
This biennial prize shines a spotlight on innovative efforts that empower learners to contribute to a more peaceful, just, and inclusive world.
Global Citizenship Education plays a transformative role in tackling the root causes of violence, inequality, and injustice. At its core, GCED builds the cognitive, behavioral, and emotional competencies needed to connect global, national, and local realities.
It equips individuals with the tools to think critically, act ethically, and collaborate across boundaries to find collective solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.
In practice, GCED promotes education that is rooted in human rights, fosters agency and reconciliation, prevents violence and discrimination, and encourages collaboration across groups and disciplines.
It draws on both formal and informal educational approaches to ensure that every learner—regardless of background—can access learning experiences that build empathy, equity, and shared responsibility.
The UNESCO Prize will be awarded in two categories:
– Youth-led organizations, which must be led by individuals aged 18 to 30.
– Other entities, including individuals, institutions, NGOs, and other eligible groups.
Two winners—one per category—will each receive an award of USD 50,000. Eligible initiatives must be relevant to GCED, operational for at least one year, and demonstrate clear, concrete activities. Projects must not be affiliated with or funded by UNESCO and must be officially nominated by a UNESCO National Commission or a recognized NGO partner.
The selection criteria focus on four key areas:
Collaboration: Effective engagement o
f communities, stakeholders, and partners.
GCED Principles: Integration of core values such as human rights, inclusion, equity, solidarity, and diversity into project design and delivery.
Evidence of Progress: Clear demonstration of tangible results and impact.
Innovation: Use of creative, original, or adapted approaches that add real value to GCED practice.
This is a powerful opportunity for changemakers and educators who are shaping the future through transformative education.
For more information, visit UNESCO.
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