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TOKYO SUMMIT 2026

UN SDGs Youth Impact Developers Summit 2026

Technology-Enabled Sustainability: Developing Youth-Led Solutions for a Changing World

Tokyo, Japan

United Nations University Campus & Olympic Youth Center

August 22–25, 2026

A four-day international summit designed for young changemakers, innovators, and future leaders to transform sustainability ideas into feasible, measurable, and scalable impact solutions.

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About the Summit

The UN SDGs Youth Impact Developers Summit 2026 is not a conventional youth exchange programme or a passive conference. It is an output-driven international learning platform that places young participants closer to real policy, industry, technology, and social innovation contexts.

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This summit is designed around one central question:

How can young people use technology not only as a tool, but as a pathway to create measurable and sustainable impact?

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Throughout the programme, participants will learn how to define social and environmental problems, analyze stakeholders, design technology-enabled solutions, measure impact, and communicate their proposals in an international setting.

Why Tokyo?

Tokyo is not only the host city of the summit. It is a real-world case study of how technology, public systems, urban governance, disaster resilience, transportation, corporate sustainability, and international institutions interact in one of the world’s most advanced metropolitan environments.

  • Tokyo as a Smart and Sustainable City

  • Society 5.0 and Human-Centered Innovation

  • ​United Nations University as a Global Knowledge Hub

Who Should Join?

This summit is designed for participants who are ready to move beyond discussion and begin developing concrete solutions.

  • University students and young professionals

  • Youth leaders involved in SDGs, climate, education, technology, public policy, or social innovation

  • Early-stage project founders or team members

  • Students with research, entrepreneurship, policy, or international development interests

  • Young changemakers seeking to turn ideas into structured proposals

Programme Highlights

Impact Development Workshops

Learn practical tools such as stakeholder analysis, Theory of Change, impact design, and solution feasibility assessment.

UNU Learning Experience

Engage with international perspectives on SDGs, global governance, and technology-enabled development at United Nations University.

Tokyo Youth Declaration

Participants co-create a collective statement on youth, technology, and sustainable development.

Tokyo Field Observation

​Use Tokyo as a living classroom to observe how technology, systems, and governance support sustainable urban life.

Individual Impact Pitch

Participants may present a 6-minute proposal on a sustainability issue or project they care about.

Core Outputs

Individual 6-Minute Impact Pitch

An optional individual presentation where participants communicate a sustainability issue, proposed solution, technology or innovation element, expected impact, and next steps.

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Final Group Project

The central team-based output of the summit. Each group develops a technology-enabled sustainability solution based on problem analysis, field observation, stakeholder mapping, and feasibility assessment.

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Tokyo Youth Declaration

​A collective statement developed by participants to express shared perspectives on youth, technology, and sustainable development.

Recognition

Individual Impact Pitch Certificate

Awarded to participants who complete the 6-minute Individual Impact Pitch and meet the basic presentation requirements.

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UNU Programme & Group Project Certificate

Awarded to participants who fully participate in the UNU learning sessions and complete the final group project presentation.


Advanced Impact Project Recognition

Awarded selectively to projects or teams with strong development potential, based on review by the organizers and partners.

Core Programme Schedule

Day 0 | Arrival in Tokyo

August 21

Recommended Arrival

Participants are strongly encouraged to arrive in Tokyo on August 21.

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Optional Activity

Informal Welcome Gathering
A casual opportunity for participants to meet each other before the official programme begins.

Day 1 | Opening, Problem Definition & Team Formation

August 22

Venue: Olympic Youth Center

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Main Focus

Participants begin by understanding the summit’s mission, forming teams, and defining the sustainability problems they want to address.

  • Registration and orientation

  • Opening ceremony

  • Introduction to technology-enabled sustainability

  • Expert dialogue

  • Team formation

  • Problem definition workshop

  • Welcome dinner and cultural exchange


Core Tasks

  • Complete team formation

  • Identify key sustainability issues

  • Begin stakeholder analysis

  • Establish initial project direction

Day 2 | Method Training & Field Observation

August 23

Venue: Olympic Youth Center / Tokyo field sites

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Main Focus

Participants move from problem description to solution design.

  • Theory of Change workshop

  • Impact design training

  • Basic evaluation logic

  • Field observation in Tokyo

  • Case-based analysis

  • Evening self-guided city observation


Core Tasks

  • Build an initial solution concept

  • Conduct field observation

  • Analyze real-world sustainability and technology applications

  • Refine team direction

Day 3 | UNU Learning Day & Global Perspective Integration

August 24

Venue: United Nations University, Tokyo

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Main Focus

Participants connect their project ideas to global governance, international policy language, and technology applications for sustainable development.

  • UNU lectures and expert sessions

  • UN system and global governance learning

  • AI, blockchain, and technology for sustainability

  • International case studies

  • Policy simulation or applied learning activity

  • Individual 6-minute Impact Pitch

  • Evening group work session


Core Tasks

  • Align project ideas with international frameworks

  • Finalize presentation structure

  • Deliver individual pitch, if registered

  • Strengthen project logic and feasibility

Day  4 | Final Presentation & Youth Declaration

August 25

Venue: United Nations University, Tokyo

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Main Focus

Participants present their final group projects, co-create the Tokyo Youth Declaration, and explore future collaboration pathways.

  • Final group project presentations

  • Expert feedback

  • UNU closing session

  • Tokyo Youth Declaration integration

  • Career, innovation, and international cooperation workshop

  • Networking with academic, public, and private sector representatives


Core Tasks

  • Deliver final team output

  • Participate in Youth Declaration co-creation

  • Build post-summit collaboration pathways

  • Identify next steps for project continuation

Leadership & Speakers

Presidium

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Advisors

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Keynote Speakers

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Global Youth Delegates

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Host

Strategic Partners 

Impact Investors 

Copyright © 2026 Global SDGs Alliance

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