Deadline: 15-Jun-2026
The Ilia Calderón Scholarship 2026 supports young leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean to attend the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. Funded by One Young World and the Jang Calderón Family Foundation, the programme selects two outstanding changemakers aged 18–30 who are leading impactful social initiatives.
The scholarship is fully funded and covers travel, accommodation, visa costs, meals, and full participation in the global leadership summit held from 3–6 November 2026.
Overview of the Scholarship
The Ilia Calderón Scholarship is part of the One Young World global scholarship portfolio, designed to:
- Support young social impact leaders
- Strengthen youth-led innovation
- Promote community-driven solutions
- Empower changemakers from Latin America and the Caribbean
- Facilitate global networking and leadership development
The programme selects two participants each year to attend the One Young World Summit.
Funding and Coverage
Selected scholars receive full financial support, including:
- Access to the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town
- Hotel accommodation (2–7 November 2026, private room)
- Economy-class international and domestic travel
- Visa costs (if applicable)
- Transport between accommodation and summit venue
- Meals throughout the summit (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Translation services (English to Spanish for plenary sessions and ceremonies)
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be aged 18 to 30 years at the time of the summit
- Be nationals of eligible Latin American and Caribbean countries, including:
- Demonstrate strong leadership capacity
- Lead or contribute to impactful social initiatives
- Show commitment to community development and social change
- Have a track record of innovation and problem-solving
Focus Areas
The scholarship prioritises young leaders working on:
- Social innovation and community impact
- Youth empowerment and leadership
- Education and inequality reduction
- Climate and sustainability initiatives
- Human rights and social justice
- Local and global development challenges
Selection Criteria
Applicants are evaluated based on:
- Leadership experience and potential
- Impact of their initiative or project
- Relevance to local or global challenges
- Innovation and originality
- Community engagement and benefit
- Motivation to participate in global dialogue
About the One Young World Summit
The One Young World Summit 2026 will take place in:
- 📍 Cape Town, South Africa
- 📅 3–6 November 2026
It brings together young leaders from around the world to:
- Share ideas and solutions
- Engage with global decision-makers
- Build international networks
- Accelerate social impact initiatives
Programme Objectives
The scholarship aims to:
- Amplify voices of young Latin American and Caribbean leaders
- Support equitable access to global leadership platforms
- Strengthen youth-led social innovation
- Encourage cross-cultural collaboration
- Build long-term global changemaker networks
Why This Scholarship Matters
This programme helps remove financial barriers that often prevent young leaders from participating in global forums. It enables participants to:
- Gain international exposure
- Connect with global leaders and mentors
- Scale their social impact initiatives
- Bring solutions back to their communities
- Strengthen leadership skills in real-world contexts
Conclusion
The Ilia Calderón Scholarship 2026 is a fully funded opportunity for young leaders from Latin America and the Caribbean to join the One Young World Summit in Cape Town. By covering all major costs and focusing on high-impact social changemakers, the programme helps amplify youth leadership and accelerate solutions to pressing global and local challenges.
For more information, visit One Young World.