Location: New York, USA
Working language: English
Last Date of Applications: November 27, 2023
Applications Link:
The Youth4Disarmament Initiative and its mandate
Disarmament is at the heart of the system of collective security set out in the United Nations Charter.
The purpose of this system was nothing less than the elimination of war as an instrument of foreign policy “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.
Disarmament is a tool to help prevent armed conflict and to mitigate its impacts when it occurs. Measures for disarmament are pursued for many reasons, including to maintain international peace and security, uphold the principles of humanity, protect civilians, promote sustainable development, and prevent and end armed conflict.
Young people, the largest generation in history, have a critical role to play in raising awareness and developing new approaches to bring about change to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction and conventional arms, including their proliferation.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has made a major push to engage and empower young people, recognizing their participation as essential for identifying new solutions that will secure the breakthroughs that our world urgently needs.
To that end, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), with generous financial support from the Government of Germany, are calling on young people to apply for the 2nd edition of the United Nations Youth Champions for Disarmament Training Programme – an innovative learning programme aimed at empowering youth to work for disarmament in their communities. To learn more about the previous edition of the programme please visit: https://youth4disarmament.org/youth-champions-disarmament.
Are you between 18 and 24 years old?
Are you interested in taking part in an innovative learning programme to improve your ability to advocate for peace, disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control in your community?
Do you want the opportunity to participate in a face-to-face regional workshop, as well as travel to the United Nations Headquarters in New York?
If yes, APPLY NOW for a chance to be selected for a fully funded participation in the 2nd edition of the training programme.
15 young people will be selected to participate in the 2nd edition of the training programme, which will introduce a regional focus. Applicants must be at the age of 18 and over and 24 and younger at the time of the application deadline to be eligible for the training programme.
Through this regional approach the training programme will bring together a geographically diverse group of young disarmament advocates and enable them to share their specific regional perspectives –from Africa and Europe; Asia and the Pacific; the Americas and the Caribbean regions – and connect them to the global disarmament discourse. In addition, three job opportunities with UNODA for young professionals are built into the training programme to support its implementation at regional levels. These positions will be made public in due course.
The selected 15 United Nations Youth Champions for Disarmament will receive training in the general principles of disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control and its linkages to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. After completion of the introductory courses, regular exchanges with experts from think tanks, civil society organizations and the diplomatic field will be facilitated by UNODA, followed by regional workshops and youth forums. At the end of the training, the 15 Youth Champions will be invited to present their perspectives at an event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
What does the programme consist of?
The fifteen United Nations Youth Champions for Disarmament will receive training in general principles of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control through on-line courses and will participate in a regional workshop, as well as an in-person study tour in New York, USA. The study tour will take place in October 2024.
Youth Champions will exchange ideas with disarmament experts from think tanks, civil society organizations and the diplomatic field, and develop their own plans on how to engage in their communities on issues related to disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control, and how these issues apply to their regions, whether it be Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Africa, or the Americas and the Caribbean.
The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs will support with mentoring and guidance throughout the programme.
What level of English proficiency is required?
You need to speak, write and understand English easily. You do not need to hand in an IELTS or TOEFL test score.
Is there an application fee?
No, there is no fee to apply for the programme.
How should the letters of recommendation look like?
You need two letters of recommendation, both academic and non-academic. Academic letters of recommendation can be from your institution, e.g. teachers, professors, deans. Please note that you need at least one non-academic letter of recommendation (e.g. whether it be a leader in your community or a peer). There is no specific form, but the letter needs to be signed and must be in English.
What is a Zip Code?
Both 5- and 6-digit Zip codes can be entered. The Zip code or postal is connected to the address code of your hometown. In case you do not have zip or postal code, please leave the field blank.
What are the dates of the training programme?
Online courses will start in early 2024 and the regional workshops will take place in May-June 2024. The study tour will take place in October 2024. Follow up activities will continue until the end of December 2024. Exact dates are subject to change.
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