Call for Applications for the EU – UN Youth Delegates 2026-2027

The purpose of European Union Youth Delegates to the UN

Participation in the EU Youth Delegate to the United Nations programme allows the EU to be present in relevant Youth dialogues at the UN, to advocate for the interests and rights of young persons in Europe, and to increase the representation and geographic coverage of the EU’s youth.

The EU is delighted to continue the European Union Youth Delegates to the UN for a fifth year in 2026-27, in cooperation with representatives of the European Youth Forum and EU Member States’ (MS) National Youth Councils.   

Selection

The application of interested parties should consist of a CV and a short motivation letter (one page maximum) outlining relevant experience, motivation and potential contributions to the EU Youth Delegates to the UN Programme. The application is to be sent through applicants’ European Union Member States (EU MS) National Youth Councils, through modalities agreed upon at National Youth Council level. Please see information on how to apply via the respective web sites of the EU MS National Councils that you can find HERE.

National Youth Councils may nominate a candidate by 17 April 2026 at 17:00 CET. National Youth Councils may organise a selection process of their own (recommended but not mandatory), in which case internal deadlines will be applied to ensure submission of selected candidates by the given deadline. Candidates should reach out to their respective National Youth Councils to confirm whether any internal deadlines have been set as part of their selection processes. The EU MS National Youth Councils are invited to submit one candidate per EU Member State to be in a pool of candidates for further selection, conducted by the EU Delegation to the UN and DG INTPA of the European Commission.

In parallel, the European Youth Forum will also select five youth activists from their INGO pillar to be in the pool for selection, together with the candidates from EU MS. 

Candidates should meet the following criteria:

• Be a citizen of an EU Member State;
• Be under the age of 30 at the time of application;
• Be able and willing to devote up to approximately 40 days per year to the role, and willing to advocate for youth rights;
• Demonstrate an interest in international relations, political science, law, human rights, international development, public health, climate or any other field related to UN activities;
• Be motivated and/or have experience in and knowledge of youth advocacy, organizations, and movements, and have a vision for youth participation at the EU and UN levels;
• Be available to travel to New York around three times during the year, and potentially to other destinations, incl. Brussels;
• Have excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and good communication/presentation, and social media skills; 

The EU is committed to the principle of non-discrimination. Applications from European young persons of diverse backgrounds are encouraged. Respect for gender equality, balance in regional representation, and diversity will be among the criteria during the selection process.

Timeline

Launch of the Call for Applications – 04 March 2026 

The deadline for National Youth Councils to nominate their candidate from EU MS, and for the European Youth Forum from their INGO pillar is 17 April 2026 at 17:00 CET. Candidates should consult their respective National Youth Councils to confirm whether internal prior deadlines have been set as part of their nomination processes. 

Nominations should be sent by the National Youth Councils and by the European Youth Forum to the European Commission at the following dedicated address: engage@youthalumni.eu. Individual direct applications and late applications will not be considered.

Further selection process will be conducted in two stages:

• First stage: all candidates will be informed of the outcome of the first stage (shortlist) of their application by 8 May 2026.
• Second stage: shortlisted candidates will be invited for interviews between 13-15 May 2026. 
• Result: all shortlisted candidates will be informed of the results by the week of 25 May 2026.  

Mission

Two EU Youth Delegates to the UN will be selected to participate in the programme for 2026-2027. Their mandate will include, inter alia:

• Participate on behalf of the EU Delegation to the UN in New York in relevant discussions, including on youth affairs and other matters as appropriate, in the UN General Assembly and its committees and the functional commissions of the Economic and Social Council, as well as other international and regional fora, as appropriate.
• Ensure close coordination and information sharing with EU MS’ Youth Delegates, including through the organisation of regular coordination meetings with EU MS’ Youth Delegates, with the support of the EU Delegation.
• Provide input to EU Delegation staff and DG INTPA’s Youth team when needed, to ensure that a youth perspective is reflected across the three pillars of the UN (peace and security, sustainable development, human rights) and in all strands of work.
• Liaise and coordinate with and report to National Youth Councils and organisations at the EU HQ and EU MS’ level, including the EU Youth Sounding Board and other youth groups, to ensure meaningful youth engagement on subjects of interest for European youth.
• Communicate their activities in line with the communication strategy created by the EU Delegation and DG INTPA, in the context of the Youth Delegates programme: host/participate in the preparation of “Who Rules the World” podcast episodes, promote via social media to their networks, and communicate in digital space about other aspects of their work as Youth Delegates. 
• Offer guidance to the subsequent cohort of EU – UN Youth delegates, including through the provision of a written handover and a virtual meeting with the selected candidates (tentatively in August 2026).

The fifth cohort of the programme will begin in September 2026 for a duration of 12 months. It will be managed jointly between the EU Delegation in New York and DG INTPA of the European Commission in Brussels.