Award Ceremony at Europa-Park: Nominees for 2026 German Children & Youth Prize

Six impressive participation projects from all over Germany have reached the final round – the nominees for the German Children and Youth Award 2026 have been announced. On June 22, 2026, Germany’s highest-funded national prize for child and youth participation, worth a total of 30,000 euros, will be presented at Europa-Park.

Europa-Park is the official partner and, together with the German Children’s Aid Association, invites all participants to Germany’s largest theme park. Miriam Mack, Ambassador of the German Children’s Aid Association, and the entire team are preparing a festive day with a varied supporting program: music acts and prominent guests will honor the outstanding commitment of the children and young people.

The finalists come from Dresden, Hamburg, Hannover, Obershausen in Hesse, Torgau in Saxony, and Wittmund. Three of the projects show particularly vividly how creatively young people shape their living environment: In Dresden, elementary school children in after-school care created their own radio show together with pedagogical support and explored topics such as National Socialism, democracy, and social cohesion in depth. In Obershausen, 16-year-old Leonie supports children with cancer through her “Pieksekiste” – a box full of little treasures for playing, crafting, and marveling – with creative actions, small gifts, and surprises to bring them joy, distraction, and hope. And in Torgau, a group of seven young people aged 12 to 17 developed the innovative theater piece “#FORYOU”, which brings TikTok videos to the stage and addresses the mechanisms of TikTok and the dangers of excessive social media use in an entertaining way.

“We warmly congratulate all the nominees and are preparing a very special supporting program with music acts and celebrities for the award ceremony. In this way, we want to honor the unique commitment and exceptional creativity of the children and young people. I admire the courage and enthusiasm with which these young people stand up for their fellow human beings and for a sense of togetherness. They are making an important contribution to society that cannot be valued highly enough,” says Miriam Mack, Ambassador of the German Children’s Aid Association.

“Once again this year, a large number of innovative and exciting projects applied for the German Children and Youth Award. That is impressive. With this award, we recognize the commitment of children and young people to their own rights or the rights of others. At the same time, we highlight how important the participation of children and young people is. Children and young people who actively engage with their social environment at a young age are also more likely to participate in shaping the community as adults. In this way, the participation of children and young people strengthens a key pillar of our democracy,” emphasizes Holger Hofmann, Federal Executive Director of the German Children’s Aid Association.

The award is presented in the categories of Solidarity, Political Engagement, and Children and Youth Culture. The first-place winners in each category receive 6,000 euros each. In addition, there will be an honorable mention in each category worth 3,000 euros. One project will also be honored with the Europa-Park JUNIOR CLUB Award, endowed with 3,000 euros.