The Youth Excellence Prize aims to recognize and celebrate outstanding contributions that inspire, empower, and elevate youth worldwide. The prize also aims to highlight the true image of Islam as a religion of mercy and peace.
These annual prizes will honor individuals and initiatives that have made exceptional contributions in priority areas linked to the moral character exemplified by the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Al-Khulafā’ al-Rāshidūn). The prize will showcase success stories led by youth for the benefit of humanity and for strengthening peace around the world.
The prizes will be presented across four distinct categories, each inspired by the exemplary lives of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Al-Khulafā’ al-Rāshidūn):
- “Umar ibn al-Khattab” Leadership Award
- “Uthman ibn Affan” Solidarity Prize
- “Ali ibn Abi Talib” Knowledge Prize
- “Abu Bakr Siddiq” Excellence Prize (Premier Distinction)
Beyond recognition, the Annual Prize will be held as part of the World Youth Congress in Istanbul—one of the largest and most prestigious global platforms bringing together youth from around the world to share their perspectives, voice their priorities, connect across cultures, and shape a collective future.
Awarded for the efforts in “competing with one another in doing good” (Maidah, 48)
In each category, one awardee will be selected and granted a medal, diploma, and monetary prize of 50,000 USD, in addition to the formal recognition conferred at the ceremony.
Envisioned as an elite prize, the program is expected to attract significant international attention and to evolve into a widely followed and prestigious event among youth, reinforcing shared values, aspirations, and a collective sense of Quranic purpose, “competing with one another in doing good”.
The prize recipients will be announced in November on the occasion of the World Youth Congress organized by the Islamic Cooperation Youth Forum. Guided by the “Future Readiness” approach, the Congress aims to address the opportunities and challenges youth face in a rapidly transforming global order, strengthen young people’s vision for the future, and provide a dynamic platform to celebrate cultural diversity.
In this context, the Congress also aims to serve as a leading platform that brings youth together and fosters a future-oriented engagement with the international community.
