Application deadline: April 1st 2020
What is the Youth Democracy Award?
The Youth Democracy Award is a prize offered by the German Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung). It is independently organized by a youth jury consisting of volunteers, apprentices, pupils and college students aged 17 to 25.
For the past twelve years, we have annually awarded outstanding projects by committed young people with prize money up to 3000 Euros.
“Young people are not interested in politics” is often proclaimed by media outlets, yet they are currently proving the opposite: All around the world people take to the streets and raise their voices about topics that matter to them. Alongside with huge global movements even engagement in small communities can make a great difference. At the moment, we are observing how positions and opinions tend to become more extreme. This is why it’s necessary to start a discussion and build bridges between people of different opinions.
Who could face this challenge, if not the young generation? Participation, having a say and shaping your own future – young people are making a difference!
The Youth Democracy Award 2020 will be given to a project that was created by young people. The project should aim to bring people with different experiences in contact in a creative and refreshing way, so that discussions can thrive.
You are asking yourself: Where do you fit in in today’s political debate? Where do you get your drive from – and how do you make your stance known? Who gets to say the most nowadays and who doesn’t? How can we unite a divided society – and how can young people take part in that?
We want to award a project that has the courage to face difficulties, overcome problems, and build up new concepts. With little resources, your idea has successfully motivated many people to commit themselves to the future? Then make sure to apply for the Youth Democracy Award 2020!
Here are some hard facts for your application:
- You, the leading heads of the project, are between the ages of 14 and 27 years. The idea has been developed by yourselves and you are independently implementing it. You are allowed to be supported by adults such as teachers, for example. In your project, you try to keep all people involved on an equal level.
- We are looking for innovative and creative projects from all over the world that are dealing with the topic of democracy. In our understanding, “democracy” does not only mean free elections and legislation but also the commitment for a colorful and vivid society. We accept all forms of projects: a youth council, a monthly cooking meet-up, a video project, the organisation of a sports event or something completely different. Let your imagination run free, we like surprises!
- The time span of your project can range from a day to a few months or even a few years. Projects that have already been finished cannot be longer ago than a year (cutoff date: 15.04.2019).
- Your actions and the events of the project have to be in accordance with basic democratic principles.
- Your project needs to be non-profit. Projects that have been financed and/or implemented solely by the German Federal Agency of Citizen Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung) cannot be taken into consideration.
Selection procedure:
- Incomplete applications cannot be taken into consideration. This means, every question on the web form below needs to answered.
- The application via web form is mandatory. The filled in web form is the one and only relevant document in order to select the winner. Therefore, any other information cannot be taken into account. Please refrain from sending additional material or information.
- Applications which deviate severely from the maximum word count will not be taken into consideration. The web form will assist you and will not allow any surplus.
- Every application has to be submitted either in German or English via web form (see below). If you have technical difficulties please turn to jugenddemokratiepreis@bpb.de
- A youth jury is responsible for the selection of the winner. Should a member of the jury be involved in any of the project, this member will not grade the respective project.
For more details and application form click the official link below here.
