HFX is accepting applications for its 2026 round of its global youth competition, 15@15: Youth Building Democracy, inviting young people to share their vision for a more secure future.
Launched in 2023, the competition introduces youth leaders to HFX’s mission of strengthening strategic cooperation among the world’s democracies.
“Today’s young people will determine the future of democracy,” says Peter Van Praagh, president of HFX. “Their voices belong in the room where the global security agenda is set.”
15@15: Youth Building Democracy is a global competition that invites 15-year-olds from around the world to submit a 15-second video about one positive change they would like to see within the next 15 years that will make their world more secure.
Winners will score an all-expenses-paid trip to Canada to attend the 2026 Halifax International Security Forum alongside global leaders in government, business and media. Held annually in Nova Scotia, the Halifax International Security Forum is the world’s most consequential meeting linking democracy and security. The forum convenes political decision-makers, senior military officials, industry experts – and now youth; to engage with the most critical global security and defense challenges.
Submissions for the 2026 15@15: Youth Building Democracy competition close September 15, at 11:59 p.m. ET. For information and to apply, visit https://events.halifaxtheforum.org/15at15
