UNESCO is accepting submissions for the One Health thematic call: International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033). The deadline to apply is 3 December 2026. This international call seeks initiatives that connect science with policy, practice, and implementation across human, animal and plant health, food systems, ecosystems, and the environment.
Selected initiatives will receive endorsement under the Science Decade.
Key Details:
Application Deadline: 3 December 2026
Eligible Countries: International
Contest Type: Thematic call for initiative endorsement
Prize / Benefits: Official recognition under the Science Decade, visibility on the IDSSD platform and networks, and permission to use the Science Decade logo subject to rules. Endorsement does not include funding.
About the Contest
This UNESCO thematic call is part of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033). It focuses on One Health, an approach that links the health of people, animals, plants, ecosystems, and the wider environment.
Applicants are invited to submit initiatives that help bridge science, policy, and practical implementation. According to the official call, UNESCO aims to identify and endorse relevant initiatives under the Science Decade framework.
Endorsed initiatives receive official recognition under the Decade. In addition, they may be featured through the IDSSD platform and related scientific, policy, and implementation networks. Applicants should note that endorsement is not a financial commitment, so each initiative must secure its own funding.
Eligibility
The call is open to a wide range of applicants. Eligible applicants include:
- Member States and national governments
- Universities and research institutions
- UN agencies and intergovernmental organizations
- Civil society organizations and NGOs
- Foundations and eligible private-sector actors
- Multi-stakeholder and cross-sector consortia
- Individual scientists acting as applicants or lead contacts for eligible initiatives
Applicants should also be prepared to meet the expectations attached to endorsement. These include:
- Regular reporting on initiative progress to the Secretariat through the Decade Platform and the designated working group
- A commitment to provide data and resulting knowledge openly, in line with the 2021 UNESCO Recommendation on Open Science
- Use of the Decade logo according to established rules and guidelines
To submit an application, applicants will need:
- A completed online submission form
- Information on objectives, implementation arrangements, funding, timeframe, expected results, and monitoring, proportionate to the type and scale of the initiative
How to Apply
First, review the full call details on the official UNESCO Science Decade page. Then, complete the online submission form and provide the required information about your initiative.
Application form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/dN06xMCUta
Before you submit, make sure your proposal clearly explains the initiative’s objectives, implementation arrangements, funding plan, timeframe, expected results, and monitoring approach.
👉 Visit the official contest page for details
