If you are between 15 and 25, this is your chance to sit on an international jury deciding who the world recognizes for their fight for freedom, and every cost is covered.
How does this sound. Two fully funded trips to France, a seat on an international jury alongside 23 other young people from around the world, and the chance to help decide who receives one of the most meaningful youth led human rights recognitions in the world. Applications are now open for the 2027 Freedom Prize International Jury, and if you are between 15 and 25, this genuinely could be you.
Organized by Région Normandie in partnership with the Institut international des droits de l’Homme et de la paix, the Freedom Prize has spent years building a reputation as one of the only awards in the world that is entirely designed, judged, and awarded by young people themselves. Past editions have recognized figures like Greta Thunberg for her climate activism, and organizations like CRARN in Nigeria for their work protecting street children. This is not a small, obscure initiative, it is a well established, respected international program, and it wants voices like yours involved.
What You Would Actually Be Doing
As a jury member, you will travel to Normandy, France, where the international jury meets between February 14 and 20, 2027, joining 23 other young people from around the world to review nominations submitted globally, discuss real issues around freedom and human rights, and collectively select three finalists for the Freedom Prize 2027. The deliberations alternate between individual reflection, collaborative research, and argument building, guided by the International Institute for Human Rights and Peace, with a Chairperson present to share their own testimony on freedom and commitment.
Before you even arrive in Caen, you will also be expected to join video conferences and complete some preparatory work remotely. Then in June 2027, you will return to France once more for the official Freedom Prize Award Ceremony in Caen, where the laureate, chosen through an online youth vote from the three finalists your jury selects, will receive a €25,000 endowment to support their fight for freedom.
No Experience Required, Just A Genuine Perspective
Here is what makes this opportunity genuinely accessible. You do not need prior experience with human rights work, activism, or anything similar to apply. What the organizers are looking for is diversity, of background, perspective, interests, and ideas about what freedom really means. Whether you are a student, a young professional, an artist, or simply someone who cares deeply about these issues, your voice belongs in this conversation.
A few practical requirements are worth knowing before you apply. You need to be between 15 and 25 years old as of February 19, 2027, and you must be able to express yourself, both orally and in writing, in either French or English, since no other language is used throughout the process. You also need to be genuinely available for the full deliberation period in Normandy, and for the video conferences and preparatory work required beforehand. One more thing, if you have already served on the Freedom Prize jury in a previous edition, you are not eligible to apply again, this opportunity is reserved for first time jury members.
Everything Is Fully Funded
This is not a “pay your own way and we will reimburse you eventually” opportunity. Every core cost is covered from the start.
- Two round trip flights to France
- Visa costs
- Accommodation throughout both trips
- All meals
- Program transportation
In other words, once you are selected, cost should not be the thing standing between you and this experience.
Deadline
Applications close September 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Paris time, but there is genuinely no reason to wait until the last minute. Submitting early gives your application more room to stand out, and gives you peace of mind instead of rushing to beat a closing deadline. Worth noting too, as part of the process, you will also need to complete a separate “Our Freedom Prize 2027” nomination form, proposing a person or organization committed to a fight for freedom, this form opens September 1, 2026, and can be submitted even after your jury application.
Final Word: Your Perspective On Freedom Deserves A Seat At This Table
Opportunities to sit on a genuine international jury, fully funded, at this age, do not come around often. This is a chance to engage seriously with global conversations around human rights and freedom, meet young people from completely different backgrounds and countries, and walk away with an experience that stays with you well beyond the two trips themselves.
If this sounds like the kind of experience you want to be part of, do not overthink it, apply.
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