Extended Deadline - UNESCO Youth Forum call for applications
Want to work with young people from over 80 countries to help develop solutions to global problems? Well here’s your chance: the 2011 UNESCO Youth Forum.
DEADLINE EXTENDED - The deadline for submitting applications has now been extended to Monday 15 August, 5 PM GMT.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Youth Forum is a biennial conference that brings together youth from over 80 countries to exchange views and identify shared opportunities to address global problems within UNESCO’s mandate. At the Forum, delegates will share their experiences and seek ways that UNESCO can use its mandate to promote a better future for humankind. The outcome from the Forum will be considered by the UNESCO General Conference, which includes representatives of UNESCO’s 193 Member States.
This year, the Youth Forum will be held from 17 to 20 October 2011 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Each country may send up to two candidates to represent youth in their home country. The UK National Commission for UNESCO (UKNC) is seeking applications for the UK’s two youth delegate positions.
The main theme of the Forum is How Youth Drive Change. The Forum sub-themes include:
- Citizens in action: youth in political and public life
- Countering youth exclusion, vulnerability and violence
- Breaking through employment barriers
The Forum will examine the challenges facing youth which impede on their ability to fully contribute to societies: unemployment, gender inequalities, lack of access to education, marginalisation, poverty, discrimination, limited or no involvement in public affairs, etc.
Eligibility:
Eligibility is limited to UK Citizens at least 18 years old and not older than 24 as of 1 October 2011. Candidates from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Format
The format of the Youth Forum will run up to four days and incorporate:
- Plenary sessions
- Breakout sessions, organised on specific issues relating to the Youth Forum’s themes
- Capacity-0building sessions
- The ‘Youth Expo’, running parallel to the working sessions
- Cultural evenings, sponsored by event partners
- A ‘Media Hub’, run by young journalists
Attendance Costs:
The successful applicants will have their costs relating to the Youth Forum covered by the UKNC. This includes return economy travel from your home city to UNESCO headquarters in Par is, local travel, accommodation and daily subsistence.
To Apply:
To apply, candidates should send a C.V. along with a brief (one page) written statement on why they are interested in attending this year’s UNESCO Youth Forum.
All material should be submitted to Ian White at the UK National Commission for UNESCO on iwhite [at] unesco.org.uk by 5PM GMT on Monday 15 August 2011 (new extended deadline). For questions, please contact Ian White on iwhite [at] unesco.org.uk or 0207 766 3492.
Delegates to the Youth Forum must complete a short written report on the Forum highlighting their personal development benefit and the potential benefit to youth in the UK. They may also be asked to speak to youth groups in the UK.
For further information on this year’s Youth Forum, click here.
You can also download a PDF of this advert from the documents sidebar.
Written: 28/06/2011 , last modified: 01/08/2011