Deadline extended: UNAOC Young Peacebuilders 8th Edition in South Caucasus and Central Asia
About the Young Peacebuilders programme
The 8th edition of the Young Peacebuilders programme in South Caucasus and Central Asia (SCCA) 2024-2025 is designed to strengthen the skills of young people from the region in tackling stereotypes, prejudice, and xenophobia while providing them with access to regional and global peacebuilding networks and raising visibility of their innovative and effective peace work. The long-term goal is the integration of young peacebuilders in governmental peace processes/policies.
The aim is to support the growth of networks of young peacebuilders who are equipped with the tools to address stereotypes, prejudice and polarization in order to build more inclusive and peaceful societies, tackling the drivers of violent extremism.
About the The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) UNAOC was established in 2005, as an initiative of Secretary-General Kofi Annan and co-sponsored by the Governments of Spain and Türkiye. UNAOC works towards a more socially inclusive world, by building mutual respect among peoples of different cultural and religious identities and highlighting the will of the world’s majority to reject violent extremism and embrace diversity.
Programme Components:
Selected participants will engage
- in online modules from December 2024 to February 2025,
- attend a face-to-face workshop in April 2025,
- and conduct peace activities until September 2025.
- The results-sharing symposium will take place in October 2025.
Costs Covered:
Organizers will cover round-trip travel, accommodation, meals, and transportation to the workshop and symposium. Participants are responsible for their transportation to the airport, personal expenses, and incidental costs.
Selection Criteria:
Ideal applicants will demonstrate motivation, interest in peacebuilding themes, potential for impact, outreach capacity, and commitment to conducting peace initiatives in their communities.
Eligibility:
- Age: Be 18-25 years of age for the total duration of the project. To be considered eligible, applicants must be born between September 1999 and September 2006.
- Region: Be a citizen AND/OR resident of one of the following countries of South Caucasus and Central Asia: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
- Organization: Be active (staff, volunteer, etc.) in a non-government and non-for-profit youth-led organization, network, initiative, or movement (led by youth for the benefit of the youth) and have the ability to consult with and reach a wider group of young people, audience or network, including at the grassroots and community level.
- Commitment: Demonstrate commitment to diversity and pluralism, nonviolence, peaceful and inclusive societies.
- Language: Command of English sufficient to take part in the online phase and in-person workshop.
- Prior experience: The applicant has never taken part in a programme of UNAOC (Summer School, Youth Solidarity Fund, Intercultural Innovation Hub, PLURAL+, PeaceApp, Youth Event at the UNAOC Global Forum, Fellowship Program, Young Peacebuilders, #YouthWagingPeace, Sport and PVE youth fora, EDIN, #DigitalPeaceGames).
- Passport: In order to be accepted in this programme, selected applicants must hold an international passport valid until at least April 2026. Failure to provide a copy in due time will result in the cancellation of participation.
