The Rise to Lead: Girl Up 2026 Global Leadership Summit is an upcoming virtual global gathering designed to bring young people and youth leaders together to explore leadership, gender justice, social change, and the future of youth-led movements.
Organized by Girl Up, the virtual summit will take place on October 10, 2026, at 4:00 PM Africa/Addis Ababa time and will provide young people from around the world with an opportunity to hear directly from youth leaders and changemakers, participate in conversations across generations, discover new perspectives on leadership, and connect with a global community of young people working toward gender justice.
The event is particularly relevant for young people who want to understand what leadership can look like in today’s rapidly changing world and how they can contribute to movements that promote gender equality and social change.
Importantly, participants do not have to be current Girl Up leaders or members of a Girl Up Club. The summit is open to young people between the ages of 13 and 24 who are interested in leadership, creating change, or becoming connected with the broader Girl Up community.
About the Rise to Lead Global Leadership Summit
Leadership is changing, particularly within youth-led movements. Young people around the world are increasingly taking active roles in addressing issues affecting their communities, advocating for gender equality, building organizations, developing campaigns, and creating new approaches to social change.
The Rise to Lead summit is designed around this changing understanding of leadership.
Rather than focusing only on traditional ideas of leadership, the event invites participants to consider an important question:
What kind of leadership does the movement for gender justice need right now, and what role can young people play in shaping what comes next?
The summit will create a space for young people to listen, learn, exchange ideas, and connect with others who are interested in gender justice and youth leadership.
Through conversations involving youth voices and different generations, participants will have the opportunity to explore how leadership can be practiced in different ways and how young people can contribute to movements for meaningful change.
What Is Girl Up?
Girl Up is a global movement focused on supporting young people and advancing gender equality. Its community brings together young leaders who are interested in creating change and addressing issues affecting girls and women.
The Rise to Lead Global Leadership Summit is part of Girl Up’s broader leadership and community-building activities and will launch the organization’s 2026 Summit Series.
The virtual event will therefore serve not only as a standalone global gathering but also as the beginning of a wider series of leadership events taking place in different regions around the world.
What Can Participants Expect?
The Rise to Lead summit is planned as a dynamic one-hour virtual event featuring youth voices, conversations across generations, new ideas, and opportunities for global connection.
Participants can expect the program to focus on several interconnected areas.
1. Youth Leadership
Youth leadership is at the center of the summit.
Young people will have the opportunity to hear from other youth leaders and changemakers and explore how young people are contributing to social movements and creating change within their communities.
The event recognizes that young people are not simply future leaders. They are already participating in movements and initiatives that influence communities and conversations around the world.
2. Gender Justice
A major focus of the summit is gender justice.
Participants will explore the role that leadership can play in advancing gender equality and addressing challenges affecting girls and young women.
The summit provides an opportunity for young people interested in gender justice to connect with others who share an interest in creating more equitable communities and systems.
3. Conversations Across Generations
Another important component of the event is the opportunity to engage with perspectives from different generations.
Leadership and social change can benefit from conversations between people with different experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives.
The summit will bring youth voices together with broader leadership perspectives to encourage discussion about what effective leadership looks like today and how movements can continue to evolve.
4. New Ideas and Perspectives
Participants will also have the opportunity to discover new ideas surrounding leadership and social change.
The summit is intended to encourage young people to think about leadership beyond conventional definitions and consider different ways they can contribute to their communities and movements.
5. Global Connection
Because the summit is virtual and designed as a global event, participants can connect with young people from different parts of the world.
This creates an opportunity to learn about different experiences, perspectives, challenges, and approaches to gender justice and youth leadership.
For young people interested in international communities and youth movements, the global nature of the event can be an important part of the experience.
Who Can Participate in the Girl Up 2026 Summit?
The event is specifically designed for young people aged 13 to 24.
One of the important features of the opportunity is that participants do not need to have an existing connection with Girl Up.
You can participate even if you:
- Are not currently a Girl Up Club member
- Have never participated in a Girl Up program
- Are not currently a youth leader
- Are interested in developing your leadership skills
- Want to learn more about gender justice
- Are interested in creating positive change
- Want to connect with other young people globally
- Are considering becoming part of the Girl Up community
The announcement specifically states that young people who are interested in leadership, creating change, or becoming part of the Girl Up community are welcome to participate.
Is the Summit Open to Young People Outside the United States?
Yes. The event is presented as a global virtual leadership summit, with young people from around the world invited to participate.
The announcement does not identify a specific country or continental restriction. It also does not state any race or ethnicity restriction.
Because the summit is virtual, eligible participants can join from their respective countries as long as they meet the stated age requirement and can participate in the online event.
This makes the summit potentially accessible to young people across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, Oceania, and other regions around the world.
Young people in countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, Mexico, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries can consider registering, provided they meet the event requirements.
However, because the provided announcement does not provide a formal country-by-country eligibility list, applicants should rely on the official registration information for any additional participation requirements.
Do You Need to Be a Girl Up Member?
No.
This is an important point for prospective participants.
The summit is not restricted to current Girl Up leaders or Girl Up Club members.
If you have never participated in Girl Up activities before but are interested in leadership, gender justice, youth movements, or creating change, you can still participate.
This makes the summit accessible to young people who may be discovering the Girl Up community for the first time.
Why Attend the Rise to Lead Summit?
The summit offers several potential learning and networking opportunities for young people interested in leadership and social change.
Learn From Youth Leaders
Participants will hear from young leaders and changemakers who are contributing to movements and initiatives focused on social change.
This can help participants gain exposure to different leadership experiences and approaches.
Explore New Ideas About Leadership
The event encourages participants to think about leadership in the context of today’s challenges.
Rather than presenting leadership as a single model, the summit creates space for young people to consider what leadership can mean within movements for gender justice.
Connect With a Global Youth Community
Participants can connect virtually with young people who share interests in leadership, gender equality, advocacy, and social change.
These connections can expose participants to perspectives and experiences from different communities and countries.
Discover the Girl Up Community
For young people who are not currently involved with Girl Up, the summit can provide an introduction to the organization’s broader community and leadership activities.
Participants who are interested in becoming more involved can use the event as an opportunity to learn more about the movement.
Gain Exposure to Gender Justice Conversations
Young people interested in gender equality can gain exposure to discussions surrounding leadership and gender justice while engaging with other participants who are interested in creating change.
Girl Up’s 2026 Summit Series
The Rise to Lead virtual summit is also significant because it marks the beginning of Girl Up’s 2026 Summit Series.
Following the virtual global event, Girl Up plans to continue the summit experience through in-person regional Summits in different parts of the world.
The announcement specifically highlights upcoming regional summit activities connected with:
- Vietnam
- Kenya
- México
This means that Rise to Lead is positioned as the opening event for a broader 2026 summit experience rather than an isolated online meeting.
Young people who participate in the virtual summit can therefore become familiar with the wider leadership community and future regional activities.
Event Details
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Event Name | Rise to Lead: Girl Up 2026 Global Leadership Summit |
| Organizer | Girl Up |
| Format | Virtual |
| Date | October 10, 2026 |
| Time | 4:00 PM Africa/Addis Ababa |
| Duration | Approximately one hour |
| Age Eligibility | 13–24 |
| Membership Requirement | No current Girl Up membership required |
| Geographic Scope | Global |
| Main Focus | Youth leadership and gender justice |
| Registration | Required to save a spot |
| Application Deadline | Not specified in the provided announcement |
What Will the Summit Focus On?
The central theme of the event revolves around the future of leadership within the gender justice movement.
The summit asks participants to consider what leadership is needed at this point in time and what role each young person can play in shaping future movements.
The discussion therefore connects several themes:
- Youth leadership
- Gender justice
- Social change
- Intergenerational dialogue
- Global youth connection
- Community building
- Leadership development
- New approaches to creating change
These themes make the summit relevant to young people who are already involved in advocacy as well as those who are only beginning to explore leadership and social-impact activities.
Registration Information
Interested young people are encouraged to register in advance to save their spot at the virtual summit.
The provided announcement does not give a specific registration closing date. Therefore, prospective participants should register as early as possible rather than waiting until the event date.
The summit is scheduled for:
October 10, 2026
4:00 PM Africa/Addis Ababa time
Participants should also check their local time zone if they are joining from outside Ethiopia or another location that uses the Africa/Addis Ababa time zone.
Is There an Application Fee?
The announcement provided does not mention an application fee or participation fee.
Prospective participants should consult the official registration page for the most current information about registration requirements, participation arrangements, and any conditions associated with attending the virtual event.
Important Deadline Information
No specific registration deadline is stated in the opportunity information provided.
However, because the event is scheduled for October 10, 2026, interested young people should complete registration before the event.
The key date to remember is:
Event Date: October 10, 2026
Event Time: 4:00 PM Africa/Addis Ababa
Who Should Consider Registering?
The summit may be particularly relevant to young people aged 13–24 who are:
- Interested in youth leadership
- Interested in gender equality and gender justice
- Involved in community initiatives
- Interested in social change
- Youth advocates or emerging activists
- Interested in developing leadership experience
- Interested in international youth communities
- Interested in connecting with changemakers
- Looking for opportunities to learn from other young leaders
- Interested in becoming part of the Girl Up community
- Curious about how young people can contribute to gender justice movements
You do not need to already consider yourself an established leader. The event is also intended for young people who are interested in leadership and want to explore how they can contribute to positive change.
Global Accessibility of the Opportunity
One of the notable aspects of Rise to Lead is its virtual format and global positioning.
Unlike an event requiring participants to travel to a particular country, the virtual summit allows eligible young people to participate online from different parts of the world.
The announcement does not restrict participation to a particular continent or nationality. It also does not specify any race or ethnicity requirement.
The primary eligibility condition explicitly identified is age 13–24, alongside an interest in leadership, creating change, or becoming part of the Girl Up community.
Participants should nevertheless review the official registration terms before registering in case additional technical or participation requirements are provided on the registration platform.
How This Opportunity Fits Into Girl Up’s Broader Activities
Rise to Lead forms part of a broader leadership and summit program planned by Girl Up for 2026.
The virtual summit provides a global starting point, while regional in-person events are expected to continue the experience.
The announcement identifies Vietnam, Kenya, and México as locations associated with the 2026 Summit Series.
This structure provides different opportunities for young people to engage with the Girl Up community: first through a global virtual gathering and subsequently through regional experiences.
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Conclusion
The Rise to Lead: Girl Up 2026 Global Leadership Summit provides an opportunity for young people aged 13–24 to participate in a global conversation about youth leadership, gender justice, and creating change.
The virtual format makes the event accessible to young people from different parts of the world, while the absence of a requirement to be an existing Girl Up leader or Club member means that young people who are new to the Girl Up community can also participate.
Through youth voices, intergenerational conversations, new ideas, and opportunities for global connection, the summit is designed to encourage participants to think about the role they can play in shaping future movements for gender justice.
The event will take place on October 10, 2026, at 4:00 PM Africa/Addis Ababa time. Although the provided announcement does not specify a registration deadline, interested young people should register ahead of the event to save their spot.
For young people between 13 and 24 who are interested in leadership, social change, gender justice, or joining a global youth community, Rise to Lead offers an opportunity to learn, connect, and explore different ways of contributing to movements for change.
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