Running for a month from Sept. 30, the event brings together youth from home and abroad to debate pressing global issues.
Youth-led international exchange will culminate in the 'Eunpyeong Declaration.'
Seoul's Eunpyeong-gu will host the 2026 IFWY Eunpyeong Conference — a forum where young people from Korea and abroad share ideas on culture and global issues — from Sept. 30 through Oct. 31.
IFWY is an international youth exchange event centered on sustainable futures, bringing participants together to share perspectives and explore solidarity and action. It was first held last year, co-organized by Eunpyeong-gu, the UN Research Institute for Social Development, MBC and Hanyang University.
This year, Eunpyeong-gu takes the lead as sole organizer, carrying forward the spirit of IFWY. The event has been recast as the "Eunpyeong Conference," with a stronger emphasis on education, debate and exchange, targeting both Korean and foreign youth living in Korea, with plans to expand youth participation.
The 2026 IFWY Eunpyeong Conference will be held under the theme "Culture as Our Common Future," exploring how culture can guide a shared, sustainable path forward through youth solidarity and participation.
New this year is the "Eunpyeong Academy," a preparatory education program designed to build participants' capacity and deepen their engagement. From the opening sessions onward, participants will take part in every stage — identifying agenda items, joining international debates, presenting policy proposals and drafting a declaration — turning their ideas into concrete recommendations.
The schedule opens with orientation sessions on Sept. 30 and Oct. 7, moves into the main education program, "Global Dialogue," on Oct. 17-18, and concludes with the Eunpyeong Conference on Oct. 30-31.
The conference will close with the presentation of the "Eunpyeong Declaration," a document distilling the outcomes of the preceding education and debate sessions.
Individual programs will be held at key venues across the district, including Eunpyeong-gu Office, Lee Ho-cheol Book Concert Hall and Jingwansa Temple.
Youth from Korea and abroad who wish to participate can apply online through the official website or by scanning the QR code on promotional materials — by Sept. 20 for the preparatory program and by Oct. 8 for the main education program.
Eunpyeong-gu District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said the district had drawn on last year's IFWY experience to create "a platform for youth international exchange with Eunpyeong's own distinct character," adding that she hoped the event would give young people from home and abroad "a chance to share diverse ideas, connect with one another and build a common future together."
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