When: 28 August – 2 September 2026 (excl. travel days)
Where: Brussels, Belgium
Who: Young people aged 18-35 from Arctic states and European Countries
Ways to participate: Dialogue Participant or Youth Media Team
Deadline to apply: 09 April 2026

About the Arctic Youth Dialogue

The Arctic Youth Dialogue (AYD) is an initiative of the European Union and a deliverable under the EU Arctic policy. It is implemented under different workstreams, of which the project Youth Together for Arctic Futures project is a major contributor. Youth Together for Arctic Futures is co-funded by the European Union and Global Affairs Canada.

The AYD is a platform aimed at fostering dialogue, understanding, and cooperation among young people interested in the Arctic region. This dialogue will gather 34 young people from diverse backgrounds across Europe and the Arctic states to exchange ideas, perspectives, and experiences on Arctic topics.

The Arctic Youth Dialogue 2026 theme is: Security dimensions in the Arctic. The outcomes of these discussions and workshops will be shared with the public at the EU-Arctic Youth Dialogue, held together with the EU Arctic Forum and the Indigenous Peoples' Dialogue, 1-2 September 2026.

Objectives:

Providing a platform for young people to discuss Arctic issues, especially in the context of climate and environmental policies
Empowering Arctic and European youth to become active participants in shaping the future of the Arctic region
Fostering cross-cultural understanding and collaboration among young European and Arctic inhabitants, including Indigenous Peoples

Ways to participate

Dialogue Participant:

Applicants applying as Dialogue Participant will join small working groups to discuss and develop policy recommendations connected to the four thematic areas below, under the overarching theme “Security dimensions in the Arctic”:

Food security - How can we make sure food systems are resilient enough to give access to nutritious food for Arctic communities?
Biodiversity and climate security - How can we implement safeguards for Arctic climate degradation and biodiversity loss while advancing strategies for long-term adaptation and mitigation?
Cultural sovereignty and security - How can inclusive and equitable processes ensure that the Arctic populations’ cultural security and identity are safeguarded?
Health sovereignty and security - How can health systems and strategies be utilized to ensure the resilience and wellbeing of the Arctic population?

Leadership Roles (for previously involved participants):

Applicants applying as Dialogue Participants and that already are involved in the Youth Together Arctic Futures project are expected to take on leadership roles. Involvement in the project includes e.g. participation in a previous Arctic Youth Dialogue, Youth Board of Youth Together for Arctic Futures or the AMF Mentorship program. The planned leadership roles include subgroup facilitator, which impleis leading the small working groups under one of the abovementioned thematic areas, or as moderators, speakers or panelists during the EU-Arctic Youth Dialogue.

State of the Arctic Youth Report Cards:

Applicants applying as Dialogue Participants may also indicate their interest in contributing to the State of the Arctic Youth Report, a youth-led publication capturing perspectives and recommendations from Arctic youth, as country report card leads. Country report card leads will play a key role in shaping a country-level picture of each Arctic state's level of youth engagement. Each country report card will be approximately one page, with the full collection published both openly and distributed directly to policymakers at multiple levels of government at the end of 2026

Selected leads will receive online training prior to the Arctic Youth Dialogue 2026, where they will review the report card template. During AYD itself, country report card leads will pay close attention to current Arctic policies and the changes advocated by youth in their country. Following AYD, country report card leads will serve as peer facilitators in online working sessions, guiding broader youth participation in completing the report cards.

This is an opportunity to represent your country's voice in a circumpolar publication — translating youth voices into a concrete, one-page assessment that holds Arctic states accountable.

Youth Media Team:

A small group of youth will form the Youth Media Team, documenting the event through photography, short-form social media content, and other creative formats. Media team members will mainly focus on capturing and communicating the event, and will not take part in dialogue discussions.

Who Can Apply

To be eligible to apply, applicants must:

Reside in an Arctic State or European country and/or come from an Arctic state or European country.
Be between the ages of 18 and 35. If you're aged 18 to 25, we strongly encourage you to apply! We understand that younger applicants may have less experience, and that's perfectly fine—this opportunity is also designed for those at the beginning of their journey.
Be able to engage in discussions and activities in English.

We are looking for motivated youth with an interest in the Arctic, youth engagement, and the overarching theme “Security Dimensions in the Arctic”. We are seeking a diverse group with different experiences and encourage people of all backgrounds, ethnicities, genders, and abilities to apply. We welcome applicants with different levels of experience. You do not need to be an expert on Arctic policy - curiosity, motivation and willingness to engage meaningfully in discussions are what matter most.

How to Apply

To apply for the Arctic Youth Dialogue, please fill out the application no later than 09 April 2026 (23.59 CET).

Applying as “Dialogue Participant”:

In your application, you are asked to share a motivation statement in either a written text (maximum 300 words) or an audio recording (maximum 2 minutes). Your motivation statement should convey your background, your interest in the Arctic and youth engagement, interest in and possible experience related to at least one of the above-mentioned subtopics, and your commitment to actively participate in the Arctic Youth Dialogue 2026.

Applying for a leadership role (for previously involved participants)

Applicants, applying as Dialogue Participant and that have previously been involved in the Youth Together for Arctic Futures project, are expected to take on a leadership role to participate in the Arctic Youth Dialogue 2026. In the application form, you will be asked to indicate your previous involvement and select your preferred role, such as subgroup facilitator or moderator/speaker. If you are an AYD alumni applying for the Youth Media Team, please indicate Youth Media Team in the form.

Applying as a “country report card lead”:

Applicants, applying as Dialogue Participant can in addition apply as “country report card lead”. If so, please mark this option in the application form and answer the additional questions that appear. Please note that selected leads will be onboarded through an online meeting prior to the Arctic Youth Dialogue 2026, and will serve as peer facilitators in at least one online working session post the Arctic Youth Dialogue.

Applying to the Youth Media Team:

To apply for the Youth Media Team, please mark this option in the application form and answer the additional media-related questions. We are looking for young people with an interest in photography, videography, social media storytelling, graphic design, or other creative media/art formats. Applicants are encouraged to share a portfolio or examples of previous work if available, but this is not required. Media team members will focus primarily on documenting and communicating the event and will not participate in dialogue discussions. Equipment can be provided if needed, and practical arrangements will be coordinated together in advance.

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee composed of representatives from the partner organisations of Youth Together for Arctic Futures. The selection process is competitive and aims to include a diverse group of youth participants, representing various forms of diversity, including gender, geography, background, perspectives, opinions, age, experience, and more.

Commitment

We expect participants to fully commit to the program, including preparation activities and a post-event evaluation, as well as actively participating in all scheduled activities from the morning 8.00 AM CET of 28 August to the evening 07.00 PM CET of 2 September in Brussels, Belgium.

Logistics

Travel (flight, train, bus) to and from Brussels will be arranged and covered (transportation to and from airports, train/bus stations is not covered). Meals during the official Arctic Youth Dialogue programme (28 August – 2 September 2026) are also arranged and will be covered. We cover accommodation from 27 August – 3 September (arrival and departure day). We will do our best to accommodate any support needs participants may have.

Program Overview

Participants selected for the Arctic Youth Dialogue will join in on a 6-day interactive experience in Brussels, Belgium involving cultural activities, workshop sessions and participation in the EU Arctic Forum, EU Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue and the EU Arctic Youth Dialogue. Participants are expected to take part in 2-3 online preparation meetings, read up on written and/or audio materials provided, contribute actively to sessions, and complete a post-event evaluation. After the event, the participants will be given the opportunity to join an online follow-up meeting focused on advocacy and will be invited to shape and contribute to the next Arctic Youth Dialogue in 2027.

Culture day (28 August 2026):

On August 28, participants will have the opportunity to connect with each other, explore the Brussels area, and share their cultures and experiences. This will be a chance to build relationships and learn from one another.

Arctic Youth Dialogue Workshop Sessions (29 - 31 August 2026):

From August 29 - 31 participants will engage in workshop sessions alongside their peers. These sessions will offer a platform for collaborative learning, discussion, and brainstorming. Participants will delve into and develop policy recommendations on the above-mentioned four subtopics. The policy recommendations will be discussed with policymakers and then presented at the EU-Arctic Youth Dialogue.

Key Events (1-2 September, 2026):

On 1-2 September, participants will attend the EU Arctic Forum and Indigenous Peoples' Dialogue, events organised by the European Commission in association with the European External Action Service. The events will include keynote addresses and panel sessions tentatively on:

International cooperation
Sustainable and inclusive economic development in the Arctic
Human and societal matters
Addressing the risks and challenges posed by climate change
Arctic partnerships, research, innovation and Arctic knowledge

The EU-Arctic Youth Dialogue is weaved into the EU-Arctic Forum & Indigenous Peoples’ Dialogue, where participants of the Arctic Youth Dialogue will present their policy recommendations and get the opportunity to participate as moderators, speakers and panelists in various sessions designed and led by youth.

Contact Information:

For any questions or further information, please contact Sissa Palmquist (sissa.palmquist@wwf.se)

Arctic Youth Dialogue 2026: Call for Participants 28 August - 2 September 2026 in Brussels, Belgium

Be part of the conversation on security dimensions in the Arctic, together with European and Arctic youth. Apply for the Arctic Youth Dialogue 2026!