The HSC Youth Ambassador Program brings young sustainability leaders into the Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC), an annual meeting initiated by Germany’s development ministry (BMZ), UNDP, the Michael Otto Foundation and the City of Hamburg.
Ambassadors speak, moderate or attend sessions alongside decision-makers at HSC 2027 in Hamburg (May 31–June 1, 2027). They also join a Youth Roundtable Series in a partner country in December 2026 and do preparatory work before the conference.
Benefits & funding
- Travel and accommodation costs covered.
- A role in conference sessions as speaker or attendee, depending on expertise.
- Contact with 1,600+ leaders, including heads of state and government.
- A peer network with fellow ambassadors before, during and after the conference.
Eligibility
- Aged 18 to 30.
- You must come from and live in a Global South country. The call bases this on the OECD DAC List of ODA Recipients, but names the form’s Country of Residence dropdown as the test: a country missing there cannot apply. The dropdown differs from the DAC list in places (it includes Hungary, Malta and Gulf states, and omits DR Congo and Cuba).
- A proven record of delivering concrete sustainability solutions and mobilizing supporters in your community.
- Confident English and time to take part, including preparatory work.
- Free to travel for the Youth Roundtable Series, December 7–11, 2026.
- Countries in the form’s dropdown: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé and Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Suriname, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Bank and Gaza, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Aruba · Azerbaijan · Bahamas · Bahrain · Bangladesh
+ 140 more
Barbados · Belarus · Belize · Benin · Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · China · Colombia · Comoros · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hungary · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jamaica · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · Kosovo · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Malta · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nauru · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Macedonia · Oman · Pakistan · Palau · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Qatar · Russia · Rwanda · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Serbia · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sri Lanka · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · UAE · Uruguay · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Palestine · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Residence required
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Aruba · Azerbaijan · Bahamas · Bahrain · Bangladesh
+ 140 more
Barbados · Belarus · Belize · Benin · Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · China · Colombia · Comoros · Republic of the Congo · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Ghana · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hungary · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Jamaica · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · Kosovo · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Malta · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nauru · Nepal · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Macedonia · Oman · Pakistan · Palau · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Qatar · Russia · Rwanda · Samoa · São Tomé and Príncipe · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Serbia · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Sudan · Sri Lanka · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Sudan · Suriname · Syria · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · UAE · Uruguay · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Venezuela · Vietnam · Palestine · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe
Age requirement
18–30 yrs
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Application process
- 1Submit the online form with short written answers and a LinkedIn profile link by October 19, 2026.
- 2Shortlisted candidates are interviewed at the end of October 2026.
- 3Places are confirmed at the end of October or early November 2026.
Program timeline
Application deadline
Oct 19, 2026
Interviews
End of October 2026
Participation confirmed
Late October–early November 2026
Youth Roundtable Series
Dec 7, 2026 to Dec 11, 2026
HSC 2027, Hamburg
May 31, 2027 to Jun 1, 2027