Call for Session Proposals is now open for the African Union Innovation Festival 2026

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Closing Date: 11 August 2026

Call for Session Proposals is now open for the African Union Innovation Festival 2026

The African Union’s flagship youth innovation and digital transformation convening is back, scheduled to take place from 29-30 September 2026, at the African Union Commissiob Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Vibrant Youth Ecosystems for AI and Digital Sovereignty”.

Here’s your opportunity to shape the Agenda!

Are you thinking of a Panel Discussion, Fireside Chat, Lightning Talk, Interactive Workshop, Masterclass, Showcase, Startup Pitch Session, Design Sprint, Birds of a Feather Discussion, among others?

Session tracks include Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), AI Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Digital Infrastructure & Trust, Data Governance & Responsible AI, Youth Skills & Future Jobs, Gender & Inclusive Innovation, Research, Indigenous Knowledge & Emerging Technologies, Youth Leadership, Recognition & Innovation Showcase, Youth Participation, Digital Rights & Future African Youth Charter

African Union Innovation Festival – AU InnoFest’26

AU InnoFest’26, the African Union’s flagship youth innovation and digital transformation convening will take place from 29-30 September 2026, at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Vibrant Youth Ecosystems for AI and Digital Sovereignty”.

Objective:

To strengthen vibrant youth-led ecosystems that advance Africa’s AI capabilities and digital sovereignty aspirations through innovation, policy engagement, partnerships, and skills development.

Please Note: Whichever session category you are planning, ensure to have the names, titles/designation and email addresses of panelists/speakers/moderators before submitting

How To Apply

Submit your application on the link provided below by the deadline.

Data Protection and Privacy Notice

The African Union Commission (AUC), through the Women, Gender and Youth Directorate (WGYD), is committed to protecting your personal information and respecting your privacy. The information collected through this Call for Session Proposals will be used solely for the purpose of reviewing, evaluating and administering submissions for AU InnoFest’26. Personal information, including names, contact details, professional affiliations and biographies of proposed speakers, will be accessed only by authorised members of the AU InnoFest’26 organising team and, where necessary, designated programme review partners involved in the selection process.

If your proposal is selected, some of the information provided (such as speaker names, affiliations, biographies and session descriptions) may be used in official AU InnoFest’26 programme materials, promotional content and event communications. Your personal information will not be shared with third parties for commercial purposes and will be handled in accordance with applicable African Union policies on information management and data protection. By submitting this form, you confirm that:

You have obtained the consent of all proposed speakers to share their personal information for the purposes of this submission.
The information provided is accurate to the best of your knowledge.
You consent to the African Union Commission processing your information for the purposes outlined above.

If you have any questions regarding this submission or the handling of your personal information, please contact the AU InnoFest’26 Team Lead at [email protected]