About the Scholarship
Following the success of the Ilia Calderón Scholarship in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, One Young World has once again partnered with the Jang Calderón Family Foundation to support young leaders, between the ages of 18 and 30, who are leading innovative and impactful initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Ilia Calderón Scholarship will select and fund the participation of two young leaders who will be able to travel to attend the One Young World 2026 Summit in Cape Town, South Africa.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must be:
- Aged 18 - 30* at the time of the One Young World Summit 2026 which takes place in Cape Town, South Africa from 3 - 6 November 2026.
- Eligible Nationalities: Colombia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Cuba, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil.
Candidates will also be evaluated on the following:
- Demonstrate commitment and potential benefits for the communities or territories to which they belong.
- Relevance of the initiatives to which he/she leads or he/she participates.
- Demonstrated capacity for leadership.
- Address key local and/or global issues in their community or territories.
- Have a track record of generating impactful and innovative ideas.
- Motivation to participate in One Young World.
*Most delegates are between the ages of 18 and 30. The One Young World team will consider applications from those who are older than 30, pending demonstration of appropriate personal impact, initiative, and willingness to engage. We are not able to accept applications from those who will be aged under 18 at the time of the Summit.
What will you receive?
- Access to the One Young World Summit 2026 in Cape Town.
- Hotel accommodation in a private room in Cape Town, checking in on 2 November 2026 and checking out on 7 November 2026.
- The cost of travel to and from Cape Town (economy class).
- Domestic travel costs to the airport to take the international flight (economy class).
- Visa costs, if applicable.
- Transport between the Summit accommodation and the Summit venue.
- Catering which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner (provided by the hotel and during the Summit).
- Translation services from English to Spanish in the plenary sessions, welcome and closing event.