Every year, KidsRights awards the International Children’s Peace Prize to a child who fights courageously for children’s rights. In addition to supporting the winner, KidsRights also supports projects of other young changemakers related to the winner’s theme. This year’s call is financially supported by WereldWijd voor Kinderen (WWvK).
This call for applications follows the work of the 2025 International Children’s Peace Prize Winner – Bana Alabed (Syria/Turkey), a 15-year-old who has become a powerful voice for children in warzones advocating for peace. Bana also runs educational programs for refugee children, providing language skills and mental health support. Her efforts are aimed at promoting peace and education in the world!
Promoting Peace is a crucial right for every child to live free of fear from all forms of violence, as recognized by the Preamble of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 16. In that sense, the UNCRC states that children should be “brought up in the spirit of the ideals proclaimed in the Charter of the United Nations, and in particular in the spirit of peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidarity”.
While protecting peace helps make sure every young person can grow up feeling safe and respected, there’s another key piece that supports their future just as strongly: access to education. Peace, safety and education go hand in hand, creating a world where children and youth can thrive, dream big, and build better communities. Education equips children and youth with the skills to shape their future, contribute to peaceful societies, and reduce the likelihood of conflict.
Promoting inclusive and equitable quality education is another extremely important component of children’s rights, stated in Article 28 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 4.
Changemaking projects of State of Youth Chapters promoting peace and education may implement activities such as (non-exhaustive list):
- School-based peace education curricula teaching empathy, mediation, and non-violence.
- Workshops on conflict resolution and tolerance for refugee youth and youth affected by conflict.
- Child-friendly awareness sessions on rights, justice, and peaceful problem-solving.
- Youth peace camps or intercultural exchanges promoting cooperation and diversity.
- Child-led campaigns for peacebuilding, anti-bullying, or inclusion.
- Volunteer and service projects jointly led by refugee and local youth.
- Legal literacy workshops teaching refugees about their rights and access to justice.
- Participatory theatre, film, and radio programs on peace and human rights.
- Digital storytelling projects where refugee children share their journeys and hopes.
- Media literacy training to counter hate speech and misinformation.
- Peer support programs for unaccompanied or vulnerable refugee minors.
- Inclusive education programs integrating refugees into national school systems.
- Scholarships and tutoring initiatives for displaced children.
Does this sound interesting to you? Are you a State of Youth Chapter already focusing on, or interested in starting to work to promote peace and refugees’ empowerment?
Here is how you can apply:
- Complete our State of Youth Membership Survey (you must have completed this to be eligible for funding). Even if you joined the Movement recently (end of 2025 or already now in 2026), we still want to hear from you in the survey!
- Check that you have activated your profile on our Movement Platform.
- Read the International Children’s Peace Prize Project Fund Guidance Booklet: The Guidance Booklet gives you all the information you need to know before applying.
- Prepare your application: Gather your project information, including a detailed description of activities, expected outcomes, and budget breakdown.
Deadline: Submit your application by Saturday, 28 February 2026, 23:59 CET.
For detailed eligibility criteria, assessment processes, and other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) please refer to the Project Fund Guidance Booklet.
Why should you apply?
If selected, you and your State of Youth Chapter will benefit from the following:
- Grant between 500 to 2.500 Euros.
- Learn from and being connected with the other projects in this call
- Dedicated monitoring and evaluation support from the State of Youth team.
- Guidance sessions (virtual) for grant management and project implementation.
- Enhanced visibility for your project and State of Youth Chapter through our social media and website.
Is your State of Youth Chapter inspired to promote peace and/or education in your community?
Apply now using this Application Form!
If you have any questions that are not already included in the Guidance Booklet, reach out to us at action@stateofyouth.org.
Do not miss this opportunity to contribute towards an equitable future for children worldwide!