About this opportunity
The Youth Ambassador Program puts young leaders inside a live international convening rather than a classroom. Ambassadors contribute to conference sessions, meet the decision makers working on sustainability and keep exchanging with peers from other countries before, during and after the event.
For 2027 the programme runs in two parts. Ambassadors join the HSC Youth Roundtable Series from 7 to 11 December 2026, hosted in one of the programme partner countries, and then attend the Hamburg Sustainability Conference in Hamburg on 31 May and 1 June 2027. Travel and accommodation for both are covered, which is what turns the seat into something a young leader could actually take up without funding an international trip themselves.
The organisers are looking for people already doing the work, whether they founded their own initiative or drive one inside an existing organisation, and they ask that you be between 18 and 30 and living in a country on the current OECD DAC list of ODA recipients. Applications close on 19 October 2026, interviews for shortlisted candidates run at the end of October and confirmations follow by early November.
What you receive
- Fully funded participation, with travel and accommodation costs covered
- A place at the HSC Youth Roundtable Series from 7 to 11 December 2026 in a partner country
- Attendance at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference in Hamburg on 31 May and 1 June 2027
- A role in conference sessions as a speaker or an attendee, depending on your expertise and the format
- Standing exchange with an international cohort of young leaders and with conference decision makers
Who can apply
- You are between 18 and 30 years old
- You come from and currently reside in a Global South country on the current OECD DAC list of ODA recipients
- You have a proven record of delivering concrete solutions to sustainability challenges in your community
- You have mobilised supporters behind that work, either by founding your own initiative or by driving one inside an organisation
- You are available to travel between 7 and 11 December 2026 for the roundtable series
- You are available to attend the conference in Hamburg on 31 May and 1 June 2027
Who should not apply
- If your country does not appear in the Country of Residence list on the application form, you are not eligible for this round
Documents to prepare
- A completed online application form on the Hamburg Sustainability Conference site
- A description of the sustainability initiative you lead or drive, and the concrete results it has produced
- Your country of residence, and a second country of origin if you hold dual citizenship
- Whether you expect to relocate in the next six months, and where to
How to apply
- Read the programme overview at https://www.sustainability-conference.org/en/hsc27
- Open the application form at https://www.sustainability-conference.org/en/hsc27youthform
- Check that your country appears in the Country of Residence list before you begin
- Describe the work you lead and the support you have mobilised around it
- Submit before 19 October 2026
- Watch for the interview invitation, which the organisers expect to send at the end of October 2026
Selection process
- Applications are reviewed against the age, residence and community leadership requirements
- Shortlisted candidates are invited to interviews expected at the end of October 2026
- Confirmation of participation follows by the end of October or early November 2026
Sources and verification
Questions applicants ask
Who pays for the trip?
The programme covers travel and accommodation costs for selected ambassadors.
Do I have to be a student?
No. The call is aimed at young community leaders who have delivered concrete sustainability work, whether they founded their own initiative or drive one inside an existing organisation.
What if my country is missing from the form?
Then you are not eligible for this round, because the residence test follows the current OECD DAC list of ODA recipients.
What happens after I apply?
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed at the end of October 2026 and participation is confirmed by the end of October or early November 2026.
Important disclaimer
Nextali researches and curates useful opportunities to make discovery easier. Before applying, verify every timeline, requirement, fee and application link on the official provider website. Do your own research into the organisation, its background and the authenticity of the offer. Nextali does not guarantee selection, funding or the conduct of third party providers.
