Applying GCED means bringing multiple stakeholders together from various levels and types of education, formal and informal, to help ensure that every learner can receive an education that:

is embedded with principles of respect for human rights

fosters agency to redress inequities and injustice

promotes inclusivity and reconciliation

prevents violence, bullying, hate speech, and discrimination

fosters critical thinking, and

promotes working together across groups and disciplines to find common solutions to local, national, and global challenges. 

Through this Prize for Global Citizenship Education, UNESCO promotes outstanding efforts in this area across the world.

ELIGIBILITY:

Call for nominations for the 2025 inaugural edition: The inaugural cycle of the Prize will highlight and reward exceptional GCED initiatives. Providing a framework for GCED efforts is the UNESCO  Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development (2023) which is embedded with an understanding of peace that is not just the absence of conflict or violence but a positive and participatory process built by the actions of everyone.
To apply for the category “Youth-led organization”: The applicant must be:

An organization that is led by individual(s) aged between 18-30 years old

To apply for the “Other” category: The applicant can be either an:

Individual,

Institution,

Non-governmental organization, or

other entity.

The initiative must be: 

Relevant to GCED

The initiative should have been implemented for at least 1 year with evidence of concrete activities

The project and its organization should not be affiliated with, or receive any funding from, UNESCO

Be nominated by either a UNESCO National Commission or an NGO in official relation with UNESCO

Calendar: If you are an applicant, submit your application to your National Commission or NGO in official partnership with UNESCO well by 17 July 2025 ahead of the nomination deadline on 1 September 2025. 

If you are a National Commission OR NGO in official relation to UNESCO, submit your top three nominations to the UNESCO Secretariat by 1 September 2025.

BENEFIT:

The UNESCO Prize for Global Citizenship Education is to be established for an initial period of six years (2024-2029) and awarded every two years on a date determined by the Director-General. The Prize will consist of two awards of US $50,000 each, recognizing achievements in two categories: (1) youth-led organizations and (2) individuals, institutions, non-governmental organizations, or other entities that have made outstanding contributions to and achieved remarkable outcomes in promoting GCED.