NEW YORK, APRIL 12 – Are you a young change-maker looking to make a positive impact in your community? The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) invites youth-led organizations to apply for the 2023 edition of its Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF). The call is open to organizations from eligible countries whose work seeks to promote peace and social inclusion through improved understanding, respect, and collaboration across borders, cultures, faiths, and beliefs.
“Youth play a vital role in building sustainable peace, as they are often at the forefront of conflicts and challenges in an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape. Despite a myriad of obstacles, they continue to find ways to engage, support one another, and demand and drive change,” says the High Representative for UNAOC, Mr. Miguel Ángel Moratinos. “Young people stand ready to mobilize action to make their communities more secure, peaceful, and socially inclusive. With the Youth Solidarity Fund, UNAOC supports them in their efforts to make our world a better place.”
Through a competitive evaluation process, YSF will award seed funding of up to USD 25,000 for the implementation of outstanding and impactful projects that use intercultural and interfaith dialogue and are aligned with the mandate and mission of UNAOC. YSF only supports projects that are entirely developed and managed by youth, for the benefit of the whole society, especially youth.
Established in 2008, YSF responded to calls for action made by young civil society leaders worldwide on the importance of establishing funding mechanisms for youth-led organizations. To date, YSF has funded and supported 73 youth-led organizations in more than 40 countries worldwide.
In its tenth edition, YSF continues to provide comprehensive support to youth-led organizations, with a particular focus on the role of young people in promoting peace, respect for other religions and cultures, preventing violent extremism, addressing the root causes of intolerance, stigma and discrimination, and tackling hate speech and its impact on young people. It contributes to the implementation of several global policy frameworks by engaging young people in building peaceful and inclusive societies.
Details on the programme, application guidelines, eligibility, and selection criteria are available on the UNAOC website: https://unaoc.org/youthsolidarityfund/ (@OnuItalia)
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