Call for Applications: Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize 2023 |up to $10,000

Nominations for the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize 2023 are now open. The Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Award, established by the Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF) and the Democracy and Culture Foundation (DCF), is presented each year during the Athens Democracy Forum to a young leader aged 18 to 30.

The goal is to recognize exemplary leadership and motivate more young people to commit to democracy’s growth. An independent judging panel evaluates the applications and chooses the award winner.

Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Background

The Athens Democracy Forum (ADF) was founded ten years ago, inspired by Kofi Annan’s work on peace and democracy and his establishment of the United Nations Democracy Fund. In 2017 Kofi Annan delivered the Aristotle Address and the keynote speech at the opening of the Forum.

With the annual endorsement of the UN Secretary-General, the ADF has become the main global event marking the International Day of Democracy. In 2015, it established the “City of Athens Democracy Award”. Throughout his mandate as Secretary-General of the United Nations and later at the head of the Kofi Annan Foundation, Kofi Annan worked to promote democracy, which he called “a catalyst for better governance, greater security, and human development.” He was also a great believer in youth leadership and inclusion. He strived to facilitate the participation of young people in local, national and international decision-making forums.

Democracy, however, is in retreat in many parts of the world, with catastrophic consequences such as the war in Ukraine, the toppling of elected governments in countries in Africa and Asia, and the rise of populist and authoritarian leaders on all continents. Young people have lost faith in the system and express their disillusionment with the capacity of elections to deliver representative and accountable governments, yet most are committed to positive change.

Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize

• The winner receives an award of USD $10,000 and a one-year mentorship with a recognised democracy expert.
• Each year, the winner will have the opportunity to speak at the forthcoming Athens Democracy Forum and officially pass the award to the next recipient.

Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize Eligibility

• Nominees must be aged between 18 and 30 at the time of nomination.
• There are no restrictions in terms of nationality, gender, or occupation.

Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize Selection Criteria

The Selection Committee will consider the following when deciding the winner:

• Impact: The nominee’s actions had a demonstrated outcome, for instance, a change in policy in a given country, the rate of participation in elections, the number of people reached through a specific campaign, the number of users of a specific application, the number of students gaining a wider understanding of the importance of the democratic process, the number of community associations engaged in an educational campaign etc.
• Innovation: The innovative character of these actions.
• Sustainability: Whether the nominee has advanced the cause of democracy and human rights for a sustained period of one-year minimum, and whether her/his actions are sustainable over time and replicable in other contexts.
• Values: The values displayed by the Nominee through her/his actions.
• Benefit: The added value the Award could bring to the nominee in terms of international notoriety and support.

Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize Nomination

Nominations must include all of the following:

• Completed Submission Form
• A Cover Letter of support (max 500 words)
• Short video testimony from the nominee (2 minutes max, can be shot on a smartphone)

Send your completed nomination to: [email protected] by midnight CET, 31 March 2023.

Deadline: March 31, 2023

For more information, visit NextGen Democracy Prize.