YSEALI Summit 2026

The U.S. Department of State’s Embassy Manila announces an open competition to implement a program to hold the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) Summit 2026 in Manila, Philippines. The in-person program advances U.S. strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific by promoting regional security, peace, and stability. By building awareness of and spurring action on regional security issues, including maritime, cyber, and energy security, the program will help advance a free and open Indo-Pacific for the combined one billion people of the United States and Southeast Asia. YSEALI is the flagship U.S. government initiative in Southeast Asia. Nearly 8,000 individuals have participated in YSEALI academic or professional fellowship exchanges, attended regional workshops, or implemented a small grant. Since 2016, the Department of State has convened competitively-selected YSEALI alumni for an annual summit to spur action around U.S. priorities. The successful applicant will provide a compliant plan for facilitating the substance of a six-day regional security-focused workshop (including two travel days) supporting 100 participants from the 11 ASEAN countries and potential additional self-funded participants.