The Vladimir Herzog Institute has initiated the 18th edition of the Fernando Pacheco Brandão Young Journalist Award, which encourages journalism students to create impactful journalistic projects addressing critical issues. The 2026 theme focuses on 'Brazil and the UN's 2030 Agenda: challenges of sustainable development,' aiming to emphasize the importance of sustainability and social justice in Brazil. The initiative calls for innovative story proposals that tackle topics such as human rights, inequalities, democracy, and public policies.

Students can participate by forming teams of up to three members, guided by a faculty advisor. Each selected team will receive a grant of R$ 6,000 to assist them in producing their project, which must be presented in a video format, either as a report or a documentary lasting no longer than 15 minutes. The award seeks to highlight diverse voices from across Brazil by selecting five winning proposals, one from each region of the country, and fostering engagement with pressing societal challenges.

The winners will have their expenses covered to attend the award ceremony in São Paulo, where the winning topics will be announced on May 6. This endeavor not only nurtures young talent in journalism but also aligns with broader global objectives of sustainable development, positioning the youth as key contributors to shaping Brazil's future in alignment with international goals.