Applications are now open for the 2026 UNIDIR Outer Space Security Conference Youth Video Competition. The 2026 UNIDIR Outer Space Security Conference Youth Video Competition created by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research is a highly competitive talent development program.
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This specialized initiative is specifically designed to transform ambitious young scientists, researchers, and space stewards into elite global policy leaders. By offering a fully funded trip to Geneva, Switzerland and direct access to top tier international diplomats, the partnering organizations ensure that successful candidates can fully focus on showcasing their innovative space architectures and technical research without experiencing financial pressure.
2026 UNIDIR Youth Video Competition Summary Table
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Host Organization | United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research UNIDIR and CIGI |
| Target Audience | Young Scientists Engineers and Researchers aged 18 to 25 |
| Primary Benefit | Fully Funded Trip to Geneva and Global Video Premiere |
| Program Type | Space Security Research and Policy Video Competition |
| Destination Country | Switzerland |
| Application Deadline | June 21 2026 |
About the Initiative 2026
The 2026 UNIDIR Outer Space Security Conference Youth Video Competition gives you a real head start in your international space policy career. When you join, you are not just submitting an ordinary video, but engaging in a full learning experience where top disarmament experts and global diplomats review your scientific and analytical work.
The directors of the partnership believe that research advocacy works best when paired with expert professional coaching. To achieve this, the network has built a top tier collaborative structure and advanced public presentation pathways directly into this career path. The program aims to bridge the gap between technical space innovations and practical multilateral governance, giving ambitious candidates direct access to active diplomatic forums, international partner networks, and expert policy guidance across Switzerland.
The initiative responds to the core values of the Outer Space Treaty, which declares that space exploration must benefit all humankind. This years prompt invites you to showcase original technical research illustrating how specific structural updates to space architecture can solve modern security and sustainability dilemmas. Whether your work focuses on cyber resilient satellite architecture, open source monitoring frameworks, the integrity of data links, or enhanced transparency designs, this competition highlights how technical innovation can serve as a powerful tool for global stability.
Why this Program Boosts Your Future Career
Presenting your research at this highly respected global security forum is a powerful way to accelerate your standing as an international space policy expert. Unlike standard academic contests, this specialized advocacy pathway positions you at the very center of global space security governance and multilateral diplomacy. You will present your work directly to leading global experts and policy advisors in Geneva, demonstrating how your technical designs can protect critical space assets from disruption. These outstanding international credentials are in extreme demand worldwide and will immediately qualify you for prestigious public policy research grants, corporate aerospace consulting careers, and top tier doctoral fellowships.
Benefits of the 2026 UNIDIR Youth Video Competition
- • A fully funded trip to Geneva, Switzerland to attend the OS26 conference in person
- • Coverage of your round trip economy class airfare from your home country to Geneva
- • Fully paid local accommodation for the entire duration of the space security conference
- • Daily per diem allowances to cover meal expenses and local maintenance during those dates
- • A lightning talk premiere of your original video before an elite global audience of space experts
- • Publication and featured promotion of your video on the official UNIDIR website and social portals
- • Exclusive opportunity to convert your video and conference experience into a brief published commentary on the UNIDIR website
- • High value professional networking opportunities with senior diplomats, aerospace engineers, and global policy stakeholders
Eligibility and Requirements
- Age Criteria: Open to individuals aged between eighteen and twenty five years of age from any country globally
- Submission Limit: Strictly limited to only one original video submission per person
- Originality Standards: The submitted video must be original content researched and created entirely by the entrant
- Language Policy: Any language may be used, but videos not recorded in English must include clear English closed captions
- AI Limitations: Generative AI cannot be used to create the core video narrative, script, or presenter likeness. Technical animations and schematics generated using AI assisted tools are allowed only if the underlying design is completely the entrants original work and the use of AI is fully disclosed in the form
- Copyright Compliance: Videos must comply with all applicable laws and be completely free of copyrighted music, imagery, or third party material not owned by the creator
Five Phases of the Application Process
Phase 1: Topic Selection and Technical Research
- • Explore the core themes of the Outer Space Treaty and modern space sustainability dilemmas.
- • Choose a specific research area such as cyber resilient satellite architecture or open source monitoring frameworks.
- • Identify specific technical weak points in current space systems and formulate your original engineering solutions.
- • Draft a clear outline of your research, ensuring it demonstrates how your design updates can enhance global stability.
- • Review your scientific data to ensure your proposed space system blueprint is technically sound.
Phase 2: Scriptwriting and Storyboard Development
- • Write a compelling script that explains your technical research in simple, engaging terms.
- • Keep your script concise, ensuring your spoken delivery fits comfortably within the one to three minutes limit.
- • Ensure your narrative explains both the technical innovations of your design and its positive impact on space sustainability.
- • Plan your visual slides, animations, or talking head sequences to match your spoken words.
- • Proofread your written script carefully in English to eliminate any structural or grammatical errors.
Phase 3: Video Production and AI Compliance
- • Record your video using high quality camera and audio equipment in a quiet, well lit room.
- • If you use AI assisted tools to generate conceptual schematics or docking sequence animations, ensure the underlying design is yours.
- • Compile a brief disclosure statement detailing any AI tools used for visual renderings to submit with your entry.
- • Ensure your voice is loud and clear, and add English closed captions if you are speaking in another language.
- • Format your finished video file strictly as a high resolution MP4 file containing integrated audio, visuals, and subtitles.
Phase 4: Navigating the Online Application Platform
- • Visit the official UNIDIR or CIGI website during the active application window before the deadline.
- • Access the designated registration portal for the OS26 Youth Video Competition.
- • Create a secure applicant profile using your primary professional personal email address.
- • Input your personal data, date of birth, nationality, and contact details accurately into the form fields.
- • Review the submission checklist to ensure your video file meets all size and legal requirements.
Phase 5: Document Upload and Final Submission
- • Upload your finalized MP4 video file and your brief AI tool disclosure statement to the portal.
- • Attach proof of your age and nationality, such as a scanned copy of your international passport biodata page.
- • Double check that all your registered details match your identification documents exactly to prevent errors.
- • Click the submit button to finalize your digital competition entry before the strict deadline of June 21 2026.
- • Monitor your registered email address daily for automated confirmations of receipt and interview updates.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many talented young engineers and researchers miss out on international diplomatic opportunities due to simple, easily avoided errors during the submission process. Keep these tips in mind to protect your entry:
- • Using Generative AI for Core Narrative: Do not use AI to write your script, create a voiceover, or generate a fake presenter likeness. The evaluation panel uses advanced detection tools, and AI generated presentations will face instant disqualification.
- • Exceeding the Video Length Limit: Ensure your video is not less than one minute and does not exceed three minutes. Videos outside these timing limits are excluded from the judging process.
- • Using Copyrighted Materials: Avoid using popular background music, copyrighted images, or movie clips. Your video must contain only original or royalty free materials to be legally eligible.
- • Missing the Final Submission Time: The digital portal closes strictly on June 21 2026. Submit your MP4 file early to avoid any last minute server congestion or slow internet uploads.
Deadline: June 21 2026
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About the 2026 UNIDIR Youth Video Competition
Q1: What is the official deadline to submit my video entry? A1: The application portal officially closes, and all completed forms and video files must be successfully uploaded before June 21 2026.
Q2: Who is eligible to participate in this space security competition? A2: The competition is open to creative young leaders, engineers, and scientists aged between eighteen and twenty five years of age from any country.
Q3: What is the required length and format of the video submission? A3: Videos must be between one and three minutes in length and must be submitted as a single MP4 file containing audio, visuals, and subtitles.
Q4: Can I use generative AI tools to write my video script or create an avatar? A4: No, using generative AI to write your script, generate your voice, or create your presenter likeness is strictly prohibited and leads to disqualification.
Q5: Are AI tools allowed for any part of the video production? A5: Yes, AI assisted tools may be used solely for technical visualizations, such as generating schematics or conceptual animations, provided you disclose their use.
Q6: What language should be used in the video? A6: You can use any language, but if the video is not recorded in English, you must include accurate English closed captions in the file.
Q7: What are the primary benefits provided to the selected winners? A7: Winners receive a fully funded trip to Geneva, Switzerland to attend the OS26 conference, including round trip airfare, accommodation, and per diems.
Q8: Will the winners have the chance to present their research live? A8: Yes, selected winners will present their videos in person to a global audience during a dedicated lightning talk premiere at the conference.
Q9: Can a team submit a joint video entry to the portal? A9: No, the competition is designed for individual applicants, and only one unique video submission is allowed per person.
Q10: Where can I submit my finished video and application form? A10: All entries must be uploaded online through the official submission platform available on the UNIDIR and CIGI portals.
