28 April 2026 | Celebrating Youth Leadership in Mediterranean Sustainability

PRIMA is proud to announce the launch of the PRIMA Young Innovators Award 2026, a new recognition prize celebrating the creativity, leadership, and determination of young innovators from Southern Mediterranean countries who are shaping a more sustainable future for the region.

Why this Award matters

The Mediterranean faces urgent challenges: water scarcity, climate stress, food insecurity, and ecosystem degradation. Young people across the region are already responding with innovative solutions, from water-saving technologies and resilient farming practices to community-driven initiatives that strengthen livelihoods and social inclusion.

The PRIMA Young Innovators Award recognizes these changemakers. It celebrates youth who have personally led or significantly contributed to solutions aligned with PRIMA’s mission, and it encourages the leadership, initiative, and problem-solving capacity needed to address the region’s sustainability challenges.

What we’re looking for

The Award seeks young innovators who have conceived, developed, or implemented solutions that:

• Address key Mediterranean challenges in sustainable agriculture, water management, resilient food systems, or responsible use of natural resources
• Demonstrate relevance to local contexts and respond to real societal, environmental, and economic needs
• Show measurable or credible expected impacts on environmental sustainability, livelihoods, or social inclusion
• Have potential for replication, scalability, and youth empowerment, including inspiring and mentoring other young innovators, with particular attention to women innovators

The Prize

Two equivalent recognition prizes of EUR 10,000 each will be awarded to the two highest-ranked eligible applications following a transparent evaluation by an independent panel of experts.

Who Can Apply

The Award is open to natural persons aged 18–35 who are nationals and residents of one of the PRIMA Participating States bordering the Mediterranean Sea: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, or Türkiye.

Applicants may submit individually or as a group, provided all applicants meet the eligibility criteria. The Award is addressed exclusively to individuals, applications based on affiliation with or representation of companies or organizations are not eligible.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on four criteria:

• Innovator’s Leadership and Creative Contribution

The extent to which the applicant has played a leading role in conceiving, developing, and implementing the solution, demonstrating creativity, initiative, and the ability to mobilize ideas, skills, or stakeholders.

• Relevance to Mediterranean Challenges

The extent to which the innovation addresses key regional challenges, demonstrates understanding of Mediterranean socio-environmental contexts, and offers an innovative approach compared to existing practices.

• Impact Achieved or Expected

The extent to which the initiative has generated, or is expected to generate, tangible environmental, economic, or social benefits. Applicants are encouraged to provide qualitative and/or quantitative evidence such as indicators, data, or testimonials.

• Potential for Growth, Replication, and Youth Empowerment

The extent to which the innovation demonstrates scalability or replicability, feasibility awareness, and contribution to youth empowerment, including involvement, inspiration, or mentoring of other young people.

How to Apply

All applicants must refer to the Rules of Contest (ROC) published on the PRIMA website under the “Award” menu to ensure they meet all eligibility criteria (the Electronic Submission System Handbook), providing submission guidelines, is also available there.