Recognising exceptional leadership in defending, renewing and promoting democracy

Applications for nominations open in general from mid-January and closed end of March each year. Exact dates will be communicated.

The nomination period for the 2025 Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Award is from 21 January 2025 until 31 March 2025.

Nominations must come from an organisation, and nominees must be aged between 18 and 30 at the time of 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)

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.

The Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize aims to:

– Recognise exceptional intellectual and/or “in action” leadership shown by a young activist in defending, promoting or renewing democracy;

– Support the recipient of the prize, including a one-year mentorship with a recognised democracy expert or senior leader and a monetary prize of USD 10,000;

– Inspire young people to commit to the advancement of democracy.

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

The Prize includes a monetary prize of USD 10,000. The award will be presented at the Athens Democracy Forum, and all travel and accommodation expenses linked to the Awardee’s participation in the Forum will be covered by the organizers. Awardees will be invited to take a leading role in organising a panel session on youth and democracy at the following year’s Forum.

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