UNIDIR, in partnership with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), launched the third edition of its Youth Video Competition as part of the Outer Space Security Conference 2026.
Building on previous efforts to strengthen youth engagement in multilateral space security discussions, the competition gave young people a platform to share their innovations and research for a more secure outer space environment.
This year’s competition received over 200 submissions, breaking last year’s record, with representation from all United Nations regional groups. This growing global interest highlights the importance of including younger generations in space security conversations and amplifying their work.
Through this initiative, UNIDIR and CIGI have engaged with almost 450 participants to date, which is a testament to an increasing awareness of space security issues among young people around the world.
Fresh perspectives on space security
The video competition invited young people aged 18-25 to showcase their technical research and explain what innovations to space systems could contribute to a more secure and sustainable space for all humankind.
The competition attracted submissions covering shared technical standards, cyber-resilient architecture, enhanced operational transparency and open-source monitoring frameworks. These proposals offered solutions to a wide range of challenges and priorities for the technically informed, multilateral governance of space security, with particular attention paid to security and sustainability dilemmas and the evolving threat landscape in outer space.
Spotlighting this year’s winners
A panel of independent experts from UNIDIR and CIGI, serving in their personal capacities, reviewed all of this year’s submissions. To ensure a fair and equitable selection process, the panel applied a set of established evaluation criteria. The top two videos selected demonstrate original, compelling and timely innovations for the future of space security. UNIDIR awarded the creators of these videos a fully funded trip to Geneva to attend UNIDIR’s Outer Space Security Conference 2026, where they were able to present their videos to an international audience of experts and decision makers.
This year’s Youth Video Competition winners are:
Ali Shan, Youth Advocate and STEM Student, Pakistan
Ali Shan has a passion for youth advocacy and engaging underprivileged young people in STEM. He organizes Beaconhouse Notion of Academia, one of the largest high school STEM Olympiads in Pakistan, which brings together over 1,000 students to experiment with miniature satellite systems, heat shield prototyping and rocketry. He earned an Outstanding Performance Award at the STEMx bootcamp and represented Pakistan at the 2022 World Scholar’s Cup. Beyond STEM, Ali is interested in policymaking and delivered a speech on youth and peacebuilding at the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services.
Drawing on his experience of engaging with young people on space innovation, Ali’s video proposes solutions for analysing orbital patterns and flagging anomalous satellite manoeuvres through a specialized large language model system. It also suggests that a set of international standards on satellite design, debris removal and deorbit timelines be established to minimize space debris.
Joel Modokpe Pajiah, Law Trainee, Nigerian Law School
Joel Modokpe Pajiah is a law graduate and professional trainee at the Nigerian Law School, specializing in public international law, international humanitarian law and space law. He has participated in major international moot competitions, including Oxford University’s 2024 Monroe E. Price Media Moot Court Competition and the 2025 Nigerian Championship of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Competition, where he was named Best Counsel. Previously, Joel interned at the Department of International Law and Comparative Law in the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja, Nigeria.
Addressing the challenge of orbital collisions, Joel’s video suggests building a shared tracking and monitoring system, which would allow actors to broadcast verifiable satellite routes and resolve a technical ambiguity that increases the risk of conflict in space.
Collaborating with the next generation on space security
The Outer Space Security Conference Youth Video Competition demonstrates that young leaders have important, innovative ideas to contribute and underlines the need to deepen their inclusion in multilateral processes. Their perceptive comments and questions enriched the discussions among experts and policymakers throughout the two days of the conference. They also provided crucial insights into both the immediate and the more long-standing areas of interest for the next generation of decision makers. UNIDIR remains committed to strengthening young people’s research capacity and to amplifying their voices in space security governance. They have a vital role to play in ensuring that the space domain remains peaceful and sustainable for all.