Cisco Youth Leadership Awards By Global Citizen Recognises Leaders Advancing UN Goals
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The Cisco Youth Leadership Award celebrates exceptional young leaders aged 18-30 who use technology to address global challenges and advance the UN’s Global Goals. With a $250,000 prize, it empowers changemakers to amplify their impact and inspire collective action. Cisco Youth Leadership Award2025 is now open for applications, with submissions accepted from Nov. 6, 2024, to Dec. 18, 2024.
The Global Citizen Prize: Cisco Youth Leadership Award is an initiative established by Cisco in collaboration with Global Citizen to recognise and support exceptional young leaders driving transformative change. The award highlights the efforts of youth actively advancing the United Nations’ Global Goals, promoting innovation, and addressing global challenges on a significant scale.
Since its launch in 2018, the Cisco Youth Leadership Award has honoured leaders like Ricardo Enrique Alba Torres, who, through his organisation, Eko Group H2O+, addresses water scarcity with innovative technologies. His flagship invention, the Ekomuro water tank, recycles materials to provide sustainable water storage solutions. What began as a high school project has grown into a social enterprise serving over 85,000 people across Latin America.
In 2024, Ricardo Enrique Alba Torres from Colombia won for his work with Eko Group H2O+, which provides sustainable water solutions. His efforts have improved the lives of over 85,000 people in Latin America. In 2023, Nkosana Masuku, a teacher from Zimbabwe, was honoured for founding Science Learning. This initiative brings practical and affordable STEM education to rural schools, helping reduce dropout rates and promote science and technology.
Nidhi Pant from India, won in 2022 for co-founding S4S Technologies, which turns farm losses into useful products using solar-powered tools. In 2020, Christelle Kwizera from Rwanda received the award for founding Water Access Rwanda, a social enterprise that provides affordable water solutions. Priya Prakash from India won in 2019 for creating HealthSetGo, which improves children’s health through technology and education. The first award in 2018 went to Wawira Njiru from Kenya, whose organisation, Food for Education, provides school meals to children in need.
Global Citizen: An advocacy platform to end extreme poverty
Global Citizen has facilitated over 33.5 million actions, impacting the lives of 1.29 billion people. In 2023 alone, the platform inspired 4.2 million actions to combat poverty. Collaborations with organisations like the World Health Organisation focus on promoting health and addressing climate-related health risks.
Partnerships with brands such as Reebok create innovative ways to engage the public in the mission to end extreme poverty. Through events like the annual Global Citizen Festival, the platform brings together leaders from various sectors to drive progress towards its goals.
Global Citizen is an advocacy platform committed to ending extreme poverty, driven by a global community of millions who believe in equality and a shared world where everyone has a fair chance to succeed. The platform focuses on critical issues such as climate change, poverty, and inequality, recognising that the actions of individuals can create a powerful ripple effect. By bringing attention to overlooked problems, Global Citizen inspires people worldwide to take action and encourages support from governments, businesses, philanthropists, and everyday citizens to drive meaningful change.
Through its platform, Global Citizen mobilises millions of people and works across sectors including business, entertainment, policy, and philanthropy to bring about tangible policy changes and financial investments. The goal is to defeat poverty, promote equality, and protect the planet.
Key Activities of Global Citizen
- Campaigns: The platform empowers millions globally to contribute to the fight against extreme poverty.
- Convening: Global Citizen brings together leaders from various sectors to discuss global challenges and take meaningful action.
- Awards: It honours advocates and social entrepreneurs who are making a difference, helping them scale their efforts to combat poverty.
- Collaborations: The platform partners with artists, brands, and organisations to create innovative ways to learn about and tackle extreme poverty.
- Events & Broadcasts: By uniting leaders from pop culture and policy, Global Citizen uses events and media to push forward its mission of ending extreme poverty.
Cisco Youth Leadership Award 2025
The award is designed to be accessible to a diverse range of young leaders worldwide, encouraging applicants from all backgrounds and regions. This focus on inclusivity highlights the importance of collaboration and global representation in solving the world’s most pressing issues.
The selection process for the Cisco Youth Leadership Award is rigorous and comprehensive. Applicants are assessed on five equally weighted criteria that reflect their contribution to achieving the Global Goals:
Impact: Applicants must demonstrate a proven track record of measurable, scalable impact achieved over the past three to five years. This impact must align with one or more of the UN’s Global Goals.
Vision: The individual must articulate a compelling vision and provide concrete plans for extending their work in the next three to five years. They must detail how the award will accelerate these efforts.
Catalyst: The awardee should inspire other young people to engage in impactful work toward achieving the Global Goals, acting as a role model and change-maker.
Global Citizenship: Applicants must embody the values of a Global Citizen, including a commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and a global perspective in problem-solving.
Technical Innovation: The use of technology or internet-based communication is a key component. Applicants should demonstrate how technology has been central to improving efficiency, expanding reach, or magnifying impact.
To qualify for the Cisco Youth Leadership Award, applicants must be aged 18 to 30 and actively involved in an organisation or project using technology to solve important challenges like poverty or inequality. They must show a strong commitment to supporting the United Nations’ Global Goals, such as improving health, education, or economic development, with a clear focus on creating lasting positive change.
The application process for the Cisco Youth Leadership Award is designed to help candidates highlight their achievements and impact. It begins with sharing personal details, including age, contact information, and the mission of the organisation they are part of. Applicants must also submit a 1-2 minute video explaining their journey, goals, and the impact of their work. This video should be engaging and show their passion for creating change.
Candidates need to explain how their work aligns with the five judging criteria: measurable impact, future vision, ability to inspire others, commitment to global citizenship, and the innovative use of technology. Additional details about their organisation, such as its structure, goals, and proof of registration, are also required. Applicants can include supporting materials like reports, testimonials, or media coverage to further validate their work and achievements.
Shikha Negi is a Content Writer at ztudium with expertise in writing and proofreading content. Having created more than 500 articles encompassing a diverse range of educational topics, from breaking news to in-depth analysis and long-form content, Shikha has a deep understanding of emerging trends in business, technology (including AI, blockchain, and the metaverse), and societal shifts, As the author at Sarvgyan News, Shikha has demonstrated expertise in crafting engaging and informative content tailored for various audiences, including students, educators, and professionals.
