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Nominations open for International Children’s Peace Prize 2026

This year marks the 22nd time the International Children’s Peace Prize will be awarded to a young changemaker who is fighting courageously for children’s rights. Launched by KidsRights during the 2005 World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Rome, the International Children’s Peace Prize is presented every year by a Nobel Peace Laureate. The previous laureates include outstanding young changemakers such as Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg to name a few.

Last November, we were honoured to celebrate the International Children’s Peace Prize in the iconic city hall of Stockholm, world-renowned as the venue closely connected with the annual Nobel Prize. Bana Alabed was awarded the International Children’s Peace Prize 2025 for courageously representing children in war zones. Her public documentation of the daily struggles of Syrian children gave thousands of forgotten children a voice. Thanks to her tireless efforts, the international community has been pressured to address the effects of war on children, with leaders advocating for ceasefires, civilian protection, and humanitarian solutions to the Syrian crisis.

Who can be nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize?

  1. A child aged between 12 and 18, from anywhere in the world.
  2. The child must have a clear history of fighting for the rights of children.
  3. The child’s changemaking efforts must have led to a concrete positive for result on the rights of children, locally, nationally or globally.
  4. The child must have agreed to be nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize.
  5. Individuals and groups of children, of not more than five, can be nominated. Organisations cannot be nominated.

Why nominate?

The winner of the International Children’s Peace Prize receives:

  1. The Nkosi statuette presented during a globally celebrated and broadcasted ceremony.
  2. The Desmond Tutu Study and Care Fund to contribute to the winner’s education.
  3. The International Children’s Peace Prize Project Fund, out of which €50,000 is for the winner’s project. KidsRights further invests €25,000 in projects of young changemakers related to the theme of the winner.
  4. A global platform to amplify the winner’s message and increase the results of their changemaking.  

How to nominate?

If you know a young changemaker, between 12 and 18 years, submit your nomination today! Give them the opportunity to scale their work as all the nominees will feature on our website, providing them with greater visibility. You can fill the nomination form below or by clicking here.

Source: form.jotform.com

Deadline for nominations: 31st March 2026 (17:00 CET)

Please refer to the nominations guidance booklet to learn more about how you can nominate a young changemaker for the International Children’s Peace Prize 2026.

Nominations guidance booklet 2026

You can reach out to us at nominations@childrenspeaceprize.org if you have any questions or need assistance with completing the form.   

Together, let’s celebrate and support the next generation of changemakers. Your nomination will empower a young leader to create even greater change!