Are you a young person between 18 and 30 years old? Are you interested in how we can build safer, more resilient and better prepared communities and societies in Europe? Join the Youth Delegation at the ninth Civil Protection Forum taking place on 3-4 November 2026 in Brussels!
We are looking for young people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives - from civil protection and disaster risk management to volunteering, youth and community engagement, research and innovation, and beyond - to bring their voices and perspectives to the conversation on preparedness and resilience.
Europe’s risk landscape is changing. Climate change, geopolitical tensions and emerging and hybrid threats are creating new challenges for communities across Europe and making preparedness more important than ever. The Preparedness Union Strategy, adopted by the European Commission in March 2025, recognises that building a prepared and resilient Europe is a shared responsibility, one that requires the involvement of all actors in society, including public authorities, civil society, communities, businesses and citizens from an early age.
Young people are not only among those most affected by this changing risk landscape, they are essential partners in building resilient communities. They bring fresh perspectives, skills and ideas, mobilise communities and contribute to a stronger culture of preparedness across Europe.
The 2026 Civil Protection Forum will therefore feature a dedicated Youth Agenda, offering young participants from across Europe the opportunity to engage in the wider Forum, to share their perspectives, connect with experts, to take part in dedicated activities and contribute to discussions on the future of youth engagement in preparedness and response.
The Youth Delegation will bring together 100 young people from across Europe, with participants nominated by UCPM Member and Participating States and a number of participants to be selected through this open call.
Learn more about the Civil Protection Forum 2026opens in new tab.
We are looking for young people who:
are aged 18–30 at the time of the event;
live in an EU Member State or Participating State of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM)opens in new tab;
have an interest or experience in one the topics of the Forum (including civil protection, disaster risk management, preparedness, research and innovation, community resilience, volunteering, youth engagement or civil society);
are motivated to actively contribute;
are available to participate in the full Civil Protection Forum on 3–4 November 2026 in Brussels; and
are available to take part in an online preparatory meeting in late October 2026.
As part of the Youth Delegation, you will have the opportunity to:
meet policymakers, experts and practitioners from across Europe;
take part in dedicated youth workshops and interactive activities;
contribute with your ideas and perspectives to discussions on youth engagement and preparedness;
connect with other young people active in related fields; and
help shape the outcomes of the Youth Agenda.
DG ECHO will reimburse selected participants’ travel costs within Europe and their accommodation for two nights, at a flat rate of EUR 168 per night.
Selection will aim to create a diverse and balanced Youth Delegation. Applications will be assessed based on:
Geographical diversity: giving preference to applicants from EU Member States and UCPM Participating States that are less or not represented among registered participants;
Diversity of expertise/interest: ensuring a broad range of specialisations and areas of interest, including topics and profiles that are less represented;
Gender: aiming for a balanced representation of genders, and
Motivation: the motivation shared in the application form.
If you are passionate about building safer, more resilient and better prepared communities, we want to hear from you!
Apply to join the Youth Delegation at the Civil Protection Forum 2026opens in new tab