The Diana Award put the spotlight on 198 young people, spanning 44 countries, honoured at the 2026 Diana Award Virtual Ceremony. The young people are recognised for their extraordinary commitment to creating positive change in their communities and beyond.
Watch the Diana Award Ceremony:
Wednesday 4 November 16:00 GMT youtube.com/dianaaward
• 16.00 GMT on Wednesday 4 November 2026: The Diana Award put the spotlight on 198 young people, spanning 44 countries, honoured at the 2026 Diana Award Virtual Ceremony. The young people are recognised for their extraordinary commitment to creating positive change in their communities and beyond.
• On the day of the Diana Award Ceremony (16.00 4 November 2026) HRH The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex delivered congratulatory letters to this year’s recipients, continuing their support for the legacy of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
• Nine countries are represented for the first time including Ukraine and Mongolia, reflecting the increasingly diverse and international reach of young people’s social action. The virtual event sees the release of the Diana Award’s 2026 Roll of Honour – listing all the year’s recipients: www.diana-award.org.uk/roll-of-honour.
Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Diana Award is the only charity bearing her name and has the support of both her sons, HRH The Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. It is rooted in the belief that young people have the power to change the world.
These remarkable young people are being recognised for their outstanding social action and humanitarian work, demonstrating the power of young people to challenge injustice and transform communities and lives of those around them.
Dr Tessy Ojo CBE, Chief Executive, The Diana Award, says;
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate young people from across the world receiving the Diana Award this year. Their courage, compassion and determination to tackle some the world’s most pressing challenges are a powerful reminder that young people are the changemakers of today. These young people are proof that, whatever their background of circumstances, the desire to make a difference if universal. They are building on Diana, Princess of Wales’ legacy almost thirty years on.”
ENDS_
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BY THE NUMBERS_
198 young people will be honoured from 44 countries around the world with 9 from across the UK. The awards fit the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
Quality Education – 65
Good Health & Wellbeing – 51
Reduced Inequalities – 51
Climate Action - 31
COUNTRY BREAKDOWN
In 2026, 9 countries/regions are appearing in the Roll of Honour for the first time:
ROLL OF HONOUR_
With all biographies: www.diana-award.org.uk/roll-of-honour
MEDIA SPOKESPEOPLE_
Dr Tessy Ojo CBE, Chief Executive, The Diana Award. Tessy is a passionate and practical campaigner who has gained an international reputation for fostering positive change in the lives of young people and the impact it has on communities around them. At the heart of her work is the belief that with the right support and investment, young people are the best instigators for achieving real, sustainable change in their lives, their communities and the lives of their peers.
About The Diana Award
Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, the Diana Award is the most highly coveted accolade a young person aged 16-25 years can receive for their social action or humanitarian work. It is one of the longest running awards for young people that is given to individuals and groups through a retrospective nomination process only. We believe this is special: young people do not work towards our award, rather they demonstrate their suitability through their actions, without expectation of reward.
Successful Diana Award Recipients are invited to attend a virtual celebratory event, receive a personalised certificate and gain access to a network of like-minded young activists. This Award aims to further increase their already proven capacity for innovation, leadership and social change through access to resources, opportunities and training.
What is the nomination process?
Young people are nominated for the Diana Award by adults who have witnessed their commitment to social action and the positive impact they have made in their communities. Each nomination must also be supported by two individuals who know the nominee in a professional capacity and can provide evidence of their achievements.
Each nomination undergoes an initial assessment and eligibility checks before progressing to the independent judging stage. For the 2026 Diana Award, nominations were reviewed by 33 independent judging panels, each consisting of three judges drawn from a diverse range of sectors, backgrounds and areas of expertise.
Judges carefully assessed nominations against five key criteria: leadership, tangible impact, peer empowerment, resilience and integrity, and sustainability and legacy. They considered the evidence provided, the impact of each young person's social action and their contribution to creating lasting positive change.
This rigorous assessment process ensures that recipients are selected fairly and consistently, with up to 200 outstanding young people recognised with the Diana Award each year.
What are the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interconnected global goals adopted by all UN Member States in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. They serve as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all people by 2030.
We recognise youth-led projects and initiatives that align with four key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
The Diana Award is grateful for support from ServiceNow, Anthropic, AGFUND and Libra Philanthropies.
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