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We are bringing the Global Youth Summit back to Cape Town in 2026, and we cannot wait to welcome a new group of changemakers into the room.
If you are 21 to 28 and already doing the work in your community, this week is for you. It is not a conference where you sit and listen. It is a space to learn practical skills, trade ideas with people who get it, and build real friendships across countries and cultures.
Doing change work can be inspiring, but it can also feel heavy and isolating. In Cape Town, you will be reminded you are not alone. You will leave with sharper tools, stronger connections, and a community you can keep building with.
As a participant, you join a global network of 1,200 plus changemakers and unlock access to exclusive grant funding pathways to help you take your ideas further.
What's included?
1. Airfare (for fully funded applicants)
2. Accommodation
3. Meals
ready to apply?
Do not miss your chance to join the fully funded Global Youth Summit 2026. The application is a simple three-step process and your entry point into a week of connection, learning, and turning ideas into action.
Each step helps us bring together a cohort with different stories, perspectives, and strengths. If you have been building something in your community, even if it is not perfect yet, this is where you put it forward.
If selected, you can expect a week that is practical and energising. Skills-building sessions, space to collaborate with peers, and conversations that continue long after the summit ends. Many participants describe the summit as the point where they found their people, and left with the confidence and connections to take their work further.
*Candidates who have not completed all three steps will not be considered during the selection process.
Need a Reminder?
We know a good application is not something you rush, and we would hate for you to miss your chance because life got busy. If you are not ready to submit yet, sign up for a reminder email and we will send you a nudge one week before the deadline.
That gives you breathing room to finish strong, review everything, and submit with confidence, without scrambling at the last minute.
about globaL changemakers
Global Changemakers is an international youth organisation with a mission to support youth to create positive change towards more fair, just, and sustainable communities. We do this through skills development, capacity building, mentoring, and grants.
We have trained over 50K young people from over 180 countries and provided grants to 500 youth-led projects in partnership with organisations such as the Shawn Mendes Foundation that have had a combined impact on over 16 million people.
We have organised four Virtual Youth Summits, thirteen fully funded Global Youth Summits, and four Regional Summits in Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Europe, as well as many other skill-building events across the world.