International hackathon for peace (Paris)
In short: The JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026 is a three-day training program by JCI France in Paris (15-18 October 2026), designed as an international hackathon around the theme of peace. Young entrepreneurs and JCI members from around the world build concrete peace projects in cross-cultural teams, supported by more than 25 hours of expert sessions, crisis simulations, and visits to diplomatic institutions. Applications go through the online form on the official JCI France website.
Anyone looking for a program that combines leadership, geopolitics, and hands-on action will find a unique answer in the JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026. This initiative by JCI France (Jeune Chambre Économique Française) challenges young entrepreneurs not just to talk about peace, but to actually work for it. This article walks you through the program, its structure, and why it’s worth the trip for JCI members.
What Is the JCI Peacemakers Academy?
The JCI Peacemakers Academy is an initiative by JCI France that promotes peace and explores contemporary geopolitical issues. The program takes its cue from a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: talking about peace is not enough, you have to believe in it and work for it. That philosophy shapes the entire format: instead of a classic lecture series, participants get a true international hackathon where ideas are challenged, solutions are prototyped, and impact is created.
The connection to JCI’s mission
JCI (Junior Chamber International) was founded 110 years ago with a vision of lasting, worldwide peace. Since its inception in 1915, active JCI members have worked to create sustainable peace solutions within their own communities. The JCI Peacemakers Academy builds directly on that tradition and translates it into a concrete, present-day program for young leaders.
JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026: dates, location and target audience
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Dates | 15-18 October 2026 |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Duration | 3 days, more than 25 hours of content |
| Target audience | JCI members with a strong interest in peacebuilding; also open to young entrepreneurs outside JCI |
| Cost | Approximately €250-400, depending on the edition and accommodation |
| Registration | Online via the application form on the JCI France website |
| Contact | Eva Jourjon, JCI France National Officer |
The JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026 takes place in Paris and brings together participants from all over the world. That international character is no coincidence: it’s precisely this diversity of perspectives that makes it a genuine international hackathon, where cultural differences become an asset rather than an obstacle.
Program: a hackaton for young entrepreneurs with real impact
The training program of the JCI Peacemakers Academy combines online preparation with an intensive in-person program in Paris. The structure follows six phases.
1. Pre-Course preparation
Ahead of the academy, participants receive an introduction to peace and geopolitics, engage in critical reflection on the concept of peace, and take part in peer-to-peer exchanges. This happens digitally, using collaborative tools such as Miro.
2. Framing the global projects
Once on-site, participants consolidate peace-related definitions, form working groups, and build personas to sharply define the beneficiaries of their project.
3. Action design
Using Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats method, teams analyze possible initiatives, constraints, and enablers, then select and precisely scope their chosen project.
4. Action development
Participants build a Minimum Viable Product, pilot-test it, collect data through a field survey, and work with project management tools such as a GANTT chart.
5. Presentation to an expert jury
Each team presents its finished action package – including a policy brief, communication materials, partnership strategy, and GANTT planning – to a jury of experts.
6. Implementation and follow-up
After the academy, participants actually implement their project within their own community. Progress is presented at the JCI World Congress in Tunis and followed up during Human Duties Day on 10 July 2026.
Beyond this core structure, the program also includes expert conferences on geopolitics and disinformation, a crisis simulation through serious gaming, and visits to diplomatic institutions such as UNESCO.
What do participants learn?
By the end of the JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026, participants will be able to:
- demonstrate an introductory understanding of key geopolitical issues
- design a concrete and context-relevant peace initiative;
- advocate for and launch their project through a full action package;
- integrate insights from a field survey into their project design
- apply locally adaptable action sheets to roll out their initiative in their own territory.
- Looking Back: The 2025 Edition as Inspiration
The 2025 edition – the second edition, and the first to be held in Paris – already gave a strong preview of what young entrepreneurs can expect. About a dozen young participants from different countries took part over four days in more than twenty hours of training modules.
Two concrete projects emerged: a depolarization initiative that reconnects divided communities through a one-day workshop followed by three months of support, and a project on conflict mediation that introduces mediation as an essential skill in schools, workplaces, and communities.
The program included a geopolitical conference by Joséphine Staron (Synopia), a session on disinformation led by a postdoctoral researcher, a meeting with a senior UNESCO mediation expert, and a visit to UNESCO headquarters. This edition was named Best National Flagship Programme 2026 by JCI Europe – a recognition that confirms the program’s caliber.
Why young entrepreneurs should take part
For young entrepreneurs both inside and outside JCI, the JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026 offers three things rarely found together in one program: high-level geopolitical training, an international network of like-minded changemakers, and the chance to actually launch your own project with expert guidance. Anyone looking to combine leadership with social impact will find this hackathon format a direct, action-oriented learning experience – not theory without consequence, but a concrete action package you can carry forward the moment you leave Paris.
How to apply
Applications for the JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026 go through the online application form on the official JCI France website. For questions, contact Eva Jourjon, National Officer at JCI France, at peace.academy@jcef.asso.fr.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the JCI Peacemakers Academy?
The JCI Peacemakers Academy is a training program by JCI France that addresses peace and geopolitics through a hackathon format, aiming to help participants design and launch a concrete peace project.
When and where does the JCI Peacemakers Academy 2026 take place?
The 2026 edition takes place from 15 to 18 October in Paris, France.
Who is the JCI Peacemakers Academy for?
The program is primarily aimed at JCI members with an interest in peacebuilding, but it is also open to young entrepreneurs outside the JCI movement.
What makes this an international hackathon?
Participants from different countries work in cross-cultural teams on a peace project, moving from idea to prototype within a tight timeframe of a few days – a hallmark of the hackaton approach.
What happens to the projects after the academy?
Projects are actually implemented in participants’ own communities after the academy, with follow-up during Human Duties Day and a presentation at the JCI World Congress.
