Future Leaders Conference 2026

Introduction/ Background

Nepal Unites, a chapter of the Global Unites Movement, was initiated as a loose network in 2018 and officially established in Nepal on 3rd August 2020. Since its inception, Nepal Unites has made meaningful progress in promoting peace, youth leadership, and social inclusion. The organization hosted the two months School of Peace Residency Workshop, bringing together young leaders from more than 10 countries under the Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs. In partnership with Taichung YMCA, it also organized the International Volunteer Service Program, where young volunteers from Taiwan, Malaysia, and Vietnam visited Nepal to take part in school and community service activities. In addition, Interfaith Dialogue programs were conducted to encourage understanding, respect, and friendship among people from different faiths and backgrounds. These initiatives continue to create opportunities for young people to learn, serve, and contribute to a more peaceful and inclusive society.

Nepal Unites has actively implemented various interventions including interreligious dialogues with religious leaders for peace, unity, and social harmony; peace education and human rights programs at the provincial level; School Relation Programs to empower school youth; and conflict transformation workshops targeting young people.

In alignment with the vision of creating a peaceful global community as championed by Global Unites and its chapters, Nepal Unites has committed to organizing the Future Leaders Conference (FLC) 2026 in Nepal. This conference aims to bring together approximately 180 youth from diverse ethnicities, religions, and regions of the country to promote unity, non-violence, and youth-driven social transformation. Additionally, more than 20 international youth delegates from various Global Unites member states are expected to join, enabling rich cross-cultural exchange and global learning. The main theme of this conference is “Youth Empowerment for Transformation”

Objectives:

●  To strengthen youth leadership skills for making appropriate day to day life decisions and social transformation as sustainable change agent.

●To foster collaboration and networking among young leaders from diverse backgrounds, including ethnic and religious minorities for promoting mutual understanding, peacebuilding, reconciliation, and social justice.

●  To engage youth participants on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate actions for building climate resilience society.

Major themes of conference: Following are major themes of the conference which are clustered under each objective

Theme 1: Life skill development

● Building confidence, communication, and influence as a young leader

● Unlocking the power of youth voices in decision making

● Innovation and entrepreneurship

● Transformational leadership among the youth

● Responsible use of digital devices

● Inspirational experience sharing/ learning and sharing from role models

 Theme 2: Peacebuilding and conflict transformation

● Interfaith understanding and protection of minorities’ rights

● Leading with integrity: ethics values in youth leadership

● Social harmony/Social justice, hate speech, and politically or religiously motivated violence

● Political, social, religious reconciliation and peacebuilding

● Psychological support

Theme 3: Climate change and sustainable development

● Sustainable development goals and role of youth

● Youth engagement in climate risk reduction/adaptation practices

● Youth engagement in environmental protection

● Advocacy for proper use of natural resources and campaign for green energy technologies

Target participants:

Future Leaders Conference will bring together approximately 200 participants, including 180 youth participants representing all 77 districts across Nepal’s 7 provinces, along with 20 international youth delegates from different countries. The conference will serve as a platform for young leaders to connect, exchange ideas, and collaborate on innovative solutions to local and global challenges.

Participants will represent diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, and regional backgrounds and will include students, young leaders, youth activists, entrepreneurs, and representatives of youth organizations. The conference will also welcome representatives from Global Unites and partner organizations, fostering leadership development, global learning, networking, and cross-cultural exchange.

Venue, date and duration of the conference:

Kathmandu has been chosen as the venue for the Future Leaders Conference because of its rich cultural heritage and unique social and religious diversity. Kathmandu is the capital, largest city, and cultural heart of Nepal, serving as the main gateway to the majestic Himalayas. The conference will take place over four days and three nights, from 20 to 23 November 2026.

The Kathmandu valley reflects Nepal’s rich history, culture, and architectural beauty, making it an inspiring and meaningful place to host the conference.

Approaches to be applied:

The following approaches/ methods will be used to deliver various themes for achieving objectives of the conference:

● Plenary session

● Paper presentation, panel discussion, poster presentation/ sharing of video documentary

● Cultural program

● Life skill development workshop

● Story telling/experience sharing/ role play

● Field studies/ sightseeing

Expected outcomes:

Future Leaders Conference 2026 is expected to create meaningful short-term and long-term impacts in the areas of youth empowerment, leadership development, unity, and social transformation.

● Enhanced youth leadership capacities, enabling young people to make informed day-to-day decisions and lead sustainable social transformation as effective change agents.

● Promoted collaboration and networking among young leaders from diverse backgrounds, including ethnic and religious minorities.

● Fostered mutual understanding, peacebuilding, reconciliation, and social justice.

● Strengthened collaboration, partnerships, and organizational networks with national and international agencies to advance youth development and social impact initiatives.

● Increased youth engagement in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and initiated climate action initiatives to support the development of climate-resilient communities.

Monitoring and Evaluation

The Future Leaders Conference 2026 will use a simple monitoring and evaluation process to assess the success and impact of the event. The organizing team will monitor activities throughout the conference to ensure they are carried out effectively and achieve the planned objectives.

The success of the conference will be measured through:

● Participant registration and attendance records.

● Feedback forms and surveys to understand participants’ learning and satisfaction.

● Evaluation of conference sessions and activities.

● Participant engagement during workshops, panel discussions, and networking sessions.

● Documentation of key discussions, recommendations, and outcomes.

● Social media engagement and media coverage.

● Testimonials and feedback from participants, speakers, and partners.

A final conference report will be prepared to highlight key achievements, lessons learned, participant feedback, and recommendations for future programs. The findings will help improve future conferences and strengthen youth leadership, collaboration, peacebuilding, and sustainable development initiatives.

Sustainability

To ensure sustainability, the conference will continue engagement after the event by forming a Future Leaders Network/Alumni Platform. This will help participants stay connected, share opportunities, and work together on local, national, and international initiatives. Selected participants will be encouraged to establish and lead community and school peace clubs, fostering dialogue, cooperation, and peacebuilding initiatives through ongoing mentorship and support.

Follow-up activities will include regular online check-ins, knowledge-sharing sessions, and collaboration opportunities with Global Unites and partner organizations. These efforts will help ensure that the impact of the conference continues beyond the event, supporting youth leadership, peacebuilding, civic engagement, and community development.

FLC organizing committee members

Program and Technical

● Nagendra Shahi
● Nabin Koju
● Rajkamal Thagunna

Logistic and Marketing

● Subham Devkota
● Sushmita Neupane
● Mahtab Alam Khan
● Rupa Kathayat

Finance and Fundraising

● Sagar Subedi
● Mohammad Ayatulla Rahaman

Registration and Hospitality

● Sudiksha Bhattarai
● Dipika Sharma
● Pratibha Giri
● Aditya Jha

Volunteer Management

● Manjari Maya Tamang
● Jeevan Bhandari
● Abdul Rahman Mansuri
● Aashish Jha
● Halim Babu Khan

📢 Applications are NOW OPEN!

This is your chance to join an unforgettable gathering of young leaders, changemakers, and future visionaries.
Are you ready to grow, learn, and make a difference?

💥 Your future starts with one application.
🌟 Join passionate young leaders from across Nepal and around the world
💡 Learn from inspiring mentors and changemakers
🤝 Build meaningful friendships and lasting connections
🌍 Share your ideas and create positive change
🚀 Develop the confidence and skills to lead
✨ Be part of a community that believes in a better future

Don’t miss this opportunity to unlock your potential, expand your network, and become part of the new generation of leaders.

Apply right now: Application Form

📢 CALL FOR PAPERS – Future Leaders Conference (FLC) 2026

🌟 Do you have innovative ideas, research findings, project experiences, or inspiring stories that can contribute to youth empowerment and social transformation?

We invite young leaders, researchers, practitioners, educators, and changemakers to submit abstracts for presentation at the FLC 2026.

📝 Abstract Guidelines
✔ Maximum 300 words
✔ Original and youth-focused
✔ Aligned with at least one of the conference thematic areas
Your abstract should include:
🔹 Introduction
🔹 Objective
🔹 Methods
🔹 Results
🔹 Conclusions and Recommendations
🔹 Keywords (maximum six)
📚 Thematic Areas
🌱 Thematic Area 1: Life Skill Development
🕊️ Thematic Area 2: Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation
🌍 Thematic Area 3: Climate Change and Sustainable Development

This is your opportunity to share knowledge, showcase good practices, amplify youth voices, and contribute to meaningful dialogue for positive change.

📩 Submit your abstract today: Application Form