The U.S. Embassy Seoul Public Diplomacy Section, along with the U.S. Embassy Tokyo Public Diplomacy Section, has announced a call for applications for the 2026 Young Trilateral Leaders (YTL) Summit. This summit is part of an initiative to strengthen the trilateral relationship between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK). The event will be held in the summer of 2026 at a location in the United States that is significant to all three countries, such as Hawaii or another site with strong transportation connections to both ROK and Japan.
The summit aims to provide youth leaders with a robust understanding of security and economic issues affecting the trilateral partnership. It also offers a platform for collaboration on joint projects while enhancing leadership and public engagement skills among participants.
"The trilateral relationship between the United States, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK) has never been more important to advance security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific," states the announcement.
This event builds on previous summits held in Busan, Republic of Korea in 2024 and Osaka, Japan in 2025. The program's goal is to inspire young leaders to support this crucial international partnership through education and collaborative efforts.
Applications are being accepted until Friday, July 18 at 11:59 p.m. GMT+9. A total amount of $200,000 is available for this funding opportunity under CFDA Number 19.040. Interested organizations can find detailed information about program objectives and requirements in Section C: Program Description of the full PDF NOFO document.
For inquiries regarding applications or further details, applicants are encouraged to contact SeoulPDGrants@state.gov via email.