Call for Applications: 2025 Global Citizen Prize – Cisco Youth Leadership Award (US$250,000 award granted to a young changemaker)!
Closing Date: 18 December 2024
Call for Applications: 2025 Global Citizen Prize – Cisco Youth Leadership Award (US$250,000 award granted to a young changemaker)!
Are you a young leader dedicated to using technology for good? Do you dream of creating meaningful change to help end extreme poverty? Applications are now open for the 2025 Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award! This US$250,000 award is granted to a young changemaker fighting to end extreme poverty in new and innovative ways.
Established in partnership with Cisco, this award celebrates exceptional young leaders aged 18 to 30 who act as a catalyst for change in their community and use technology to tackle global challenges.
About the Award
The Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award recognizes a young individual whose work significantly contributes toward ending extreme poverty. The winner, selected through a rigorous application process, will receive a $250,000 prize, paid directly to the organization they work with, to further support their initiatives and enhance their impact.
Never underestimate the power of youth. Young people have proven time and again that they are resilient, determined, and the driving force the world needs in the mission to end extreme poverty within our lifetime. Like past winners of this prize, they’ve shown up in numbers to call for climate policy change, defend communities against destructive inequalities, and inspire society to focus on what matters most.
The 2024 winner, Ricardo Alba Torres, has already made a significant impact in his community before turning 30. Torres, a 29-year-old environmental engineer from Bogotá, Colombia, is the co-founder and CEO of Eko Group H2O+, a social enterprise addressing water scarcity through innovative technologies and recycled materials. Their flagship product, the Ekomuro water tank, emerged from a high school project and now serves 85,000 citizens across Latin America.
Torres emphasizes the importance of self-belief, a lesson learned from his entrepreneurial father: “Believe in yourself and be confident.” His journey began with environmental projects during childhood, leading him to study environmental engineering to enhance the impact of his work.
How Is the Winner Selected?
While the prize money is paid to the organization, applicants must apply as individuals. The 2025 Award winner will be someone who has demonstrated measurable impact from their work over the last three to five years and who has advanced one or more of the UN’s Global Goals. Applicants are judged holistically by their application materials and supporting documents against five equally weighted criteria:
- Impact: Proven track record of measurable impact at scale over the last 3-5 years, advancing one or more of the Global Goals.
- Vision: Compelling vision and concrete plans for extending this work over the next 3-5 years, including how the prize will advance these efforts.
- Catalyst: Inspires other young people to make an impact toward achieving one or more of the Global Goals.
- Global Citizenship: Embodies the values and spirit of a Global Citizen and global problem solver.
- Technical Innovation: Use technology or internet-based communications to improve efficiency, expand reach, and magnify impact.
Eligibility Criteria
To apply for the Award, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Age: Between 18 and 30 at the time of application.
- Organization: Actively involved with an organization or initiative using technology to address poverty and social inequality issues.
- Purpose: Proven commitment to positively impacting economic development, health, education, or other efforts aligned with the UN Global Goals.
Click Here To Apply
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