Projects from Ecuador and Tanzania win first prize in UNESCO Global Citizenship Education project

Two exceptional projects from Ecuador and the United Republic of Tanzania were recognized in the inaugural edition of the new UNESCO Prize for Global Citizenship Education (GCED), funded by the Republic of Korea.

Ecuador Amazonian children are being trained to be guardians of the forest.

The 2025 edition honoured a school project in the Amazon rainforest in Ecuador that guides children to become empathetic community leaders and forest guardians, and a youth-led non-governmental organization in Tanzania that mobilizes youth nationwide to counter hate speech and promote peace and security.

The two laureates were selected out of 150 nominations from 76 countries, submitted by UNESCO member states or by non-governmental organizations in official partnership with UNESCO.

An independent international jury of five experts reviewed the nominated applications. The two initiatives were recognized for their excellence in promoting the values of global citizenship education and addressing some of the interconnected and complex challenges of the twenty-first century by helping learners or community members to collaborate, overcome differences, promote values of understanding and empathy and make a meaningful impact at local, national or regional levels.

Awarded every two years, the UNESCO Prize for Global Citizenship Education (GCED), recognizes outstanding efforts in promoting and advancing GCED principles and values by two categories of applicants: 1) youth-led organizations and 2) a general category of applicants, which includes individuals, institutions, non-governmental organizations and other entities.

Each laureate received an award of $50,000 during a ceremony held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on December 9, also coinciding with the International Day of Commemoration of the Victims of Genocide, Affirmation of their Dignity and Prevention of this Crime.