An open call has been launched for the GreenX MENA 2025 Youth Innovation Challenge, an initiative aimed at gathering young people and innovators from across the Middle East and North Africa to develop innovative solutions for water and climate resilience. The challenge is part of the first GreenXMENA Regional Youth Forum, which will be held in Tunis from October 29-31, 2025.
Program Overview and Mission
The GreenX MENA challenge is an 8-day online hackathon that will bring together nine youth teams to co-develop innovative, scalable, and socially just solutions. The broader forum’s mission is to empower youth, amplify green voices, and support the co-creation of solutions aligned with SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The outcomes will contribute to a youth-led roadmap and policy paper to be presented at major global platforms like COP30.
The Challenges to Tackle
The challenge focuses on three main thematic tracks:
- Water, Climate, and Resilience: Developing solutions for drought, water resource management, forecasting, and adaptation.
- Justice, Equity, and Local Knowledge: Ensuring fairness and integrating local and traditional knowledge into climate and water solutions.
- Youth Empowerment and Policy: Enabling youth leadership, influencing policies, and building cross-sector partnerships.
What Participants Will Receive
The top 3 winning teams at the end of the challenge will receive significant support, including:
- Financial and technical support to further develop their projects.
- An invitation to attend the GreenXMENA Forum in Tunis.
- The opportunity to showcase their projects on the conference stage.
- Valuable networking opportunities with regional institutions.
Who Should Apply?
The program is looking for passionate young individuals from the MENA region. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be a national of a Middle Eastern or North African country (residency in the region is preferred).
- Be between the ages of 18 and 35.
- Have an innovative project idea or a concept for an applicable solution related to water and climate resilience.
- Be committed to the originality of their ideas and projects.
How to Apply
Application Deadline: The final deadline to submit the application is August 28, 2025, at 11:59 PM (Palestine Time).
Important Note: Applications written with the use of AI tools (including ChatGPT or others) will be disqualified.
How to Apply: Eligible applicants can apply here.
About the Organizers
The challenge is organized by the Arab Youth Green Voices Network and Green Gate for MENA Youth, with support from the Government of the Netherlands and the Heinrich Böll Foundation.
Source: GreenX MENA 2025
