International Youth Summit Pakistan 2026

The International Youth Summit Pakistan 2026 is the fourth edition of IYSP, formerly known as IYSL. It is organised by the Centre for Regional Strategy & Global Affairs at the University of Lahore and is positioned as an international youth diplomacy and strategic dialogue platform.

The 2026 edition will bring together more than 100 delegates from over 50 countries. The programme is designed for young leaders, activists, entrepreneurs, academics and emerging professionals interested in global affairs, diplomacy, leadership and international cooperation.

The Summit covers five core themes: geopolitics and the shifting world order; regional connectivity and geo-economics; governance, security and emerging threats; strategic technologies and digital governance; and youth leadership and global dialogue. Delegates are expected to participate in plenary sessions, workshops, speaker discussions and working groups.

A key output of the Summit is the IYSP 2026 Communiqué, through which delegates will develop youth-led policy recommendations linked to the Summit’s strategic themes.

The seven-day programme combines two conference days with five activity days. The latter are intended to expose international participants to Pakistan through city visits, cultural activities and local engagement in Lahore and beyond.

• Applicants may be from any nationality.
• Pakistani applicants are eligible.
• Applicants should generally be aged 18–35; the official application page states applicants may be up to 35 years old.
• Exceptions to the age range may be considered case by case according to the main programme page.
• Applicants must have working proficiency in English.
• Applicants should demonstrate commitment to global affairs and youth leadership.
• Applicants should be interested in international dialogue, strategy, diplomacy or related global issues.
• No specific university degree requirement is stated.
• No fixed professional work-experience requirement is stated.

• Accommodation during the programme.
• Food/meals during the programme.
• Local transport associated with the Summit.
• Cultural visits and programme activities.
• Participation in two conference days and five activity days.
• Access to international youth leaders, academics, diplomats and policy discussions.
• Participation in working groups contributing to the IYSP 2026 Communiqué.
• International networking and cultural exchange.
• Support letters for external travel-grant applications may be provided upon request.

For the initial official application, applicants should be prepared to provide:

• Full name exactly as shown on passport.
• Date of birth.
• Nationality.
• Gender information.
• Passport number.
• Passport place of issue.
• Passport issue and expiry dates.
• Current residential address.
• Permanent address as stated on passport.
• Contact number and email address.
• Recent passport-style photograph in JPG, PNG or WEBP format, maximum 5 MB.
• Background information.
• Information about preferred Summit themes.
• Relevant experience.
• Motivation responses.
• Social/profile information.
• Additional information requested in the online form.
• Final applicant declaration.

The official website does not publish a detailed scoring rubric. However, the published eligibility and programme focus indicate that applicants are expected to demonstrate:

• Commitment to global affairs.
• Interest in youth leadership.
• Relevant experience or engagement.
• Motivation to participate in international dialogue.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English.
• Alignment with the Summit’s strategic themes.
• Accuracy and completeness of the submitted application.

• Gain exposure to international diplomacy and strategic affairs.
• Engage with young leaders from more than 50 countries.
• Develop policy thinking through working groups and the IYSP Communiqué.
• Build practical leadership and intercultural communication skills.
• Explore topics including geopolitics, geo-economics, digital governance and global security.
• Experience Pakistan through structured cultural and city activities.
• Build an international network of young professionals, academics and changemakers.
• Participate in a university-linked strategic dialogue platform.