Deadline: 11 March 2026
The World Bank Group Youth Summit 2026 returns for its 13th edition, bringing together young leaders, innovators, and changemakers from around the world. The summit will take place on 11–12 June 2026 in Washington, D.C., with both in-person and virtual participation options.
The Youth Summit is the World Bank Group’s largest annual youth event, open to participants aged 18–35, and serves as a global platform for dialogue, innovation, and collaboration on pressing development challenges.
Key Details
- Organizer: World Bank Group
- Theme: FutureWorks: Designing Jobs for the Digital Age
- Dates: 11–12 June 2026
- Location: Washington, D.C. (in-person) and virtual
- Format: Hybrid
- Target Group: Youth aged 18–35 worldwide
2026 Theme Focus Areas
This year’s summit centers on three transformative sectors:
- Education and Skills
- Entrepreneurship
- Agriculture
Discussions across these areas will integrate three cross-cutting perspectives:
- Technology innovation
- Development financing
- Fragile and conflict-affected settings
The goal is to explore how digital transformation and youth-driven innovation can create sustainable and inclusive employment opportunities.
Why It Matters
Over the next decade, approximately 1.2 billion young people in emerging markets will reach working age, while only around 400 million jobs are expected to be created. This gap risks leaving nearly 800 million youth without access to decent employment, particularly those from marginalized communities.
The 2026 Youth Summit aims to respond to this challenge by:
- Elevating youth-led solutions to job creation
- Connecting young innovators with policymakers, private sector leaders, and civil society
- Promoting inclusive economic growth in digital and fragile contexts
Summit Objectives
The Youth Summit seeks to:
- Empower youth to design innovative solutions to development challenges
- Equip participants with tools and networks to implement impactful projects
- Foster dialogue between young people and global decision-makers
Activities include panel discussions, networking sessions, and a pitch competition highlighting youth-driven ideas.
For further details please see the World Bank’s website.
