The International Children's Peace Prize is an annual award recognizing a young person who takes courageous, concrete action to advance children's rights. Established in 2005 by KidsRights Foundation and launched at the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, the prize is presented each November by a Nobel Peace Laureate at a ceremony in a major international city. Past winners include Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg.
Who is eligible:
The 2026 guide describes worldwide nominees with meaningful action for children's rights — in areas such as education access, protection from violence or exploitation, environmental justice, peace, or disability rights. The nominee does not need to be affiliated with a formal organization. Groups could be nominated jointly if each child significantly contributed and co-initiated the work. The guide’s age wording varies between “above 12” and “under 18,” and “12–18 years” elsewhere; exact boundary eligibility is not uniformly stated.
Important: students cannot self-nominate. A supporting adult — a teacher, NGO worker, parent, community leader, or other adult — must submit the nomination form on the student's behalf. The student must be informed and consent to the nomination.
What the winner receives:
| Award | Details |
|---|---|
| Nkosi Statuette | Hand-crafted award, unique each year |
| Project Fund | €50,000 for the winner's own project; KidsRights invests a further €25,000 in related projects by other young changemakers |
| Desmond Tutu Study and Care Fund | Grant supporting the winner's education and wellbeing |
| Advocacy video | Professionally produced by KidsRights (top 3 finalists) |
| Ceremony | Presented by a Nobel Peace Laureate at an international event |
2026 cycle and upcoming ceremony:
The 2026 guidance gave a March 31, 2026 nomination cutoff at 17:00 CET, followed by expert review May–September and shortlisting in October/November. The announced 2026 ceremony is November 19 at 15:30 CET at the Peace Palace in The Hague, with a livestream available through optional signup. That signup is not a new nomination opportunity. No next-cycle opening or cutoff is announced.
Reach:
The prize receives nominations from around the world each year. In 2024, media coverage of the prize reached an estimated 3.8 billion people worldwide, giving the winner significant global visibility through KidsRights' platform and network.
Checked November 4, 2026 against the official 2026 guidance booklet, prize overview and 2026 ceremony announcement. The €50,000 is a winner-project fund, with €25,000 separately invested in other projects, rather than an unrestricted education grant. The booklet does not explicitly confirm a fee-free nomination policy or a fully funded participation award.