The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) and the government of Japan are calling on young people to apply for an innovative learning programme “Youth Leader Fund for a World Without Nuclear Weapons”.

The new learning programme is aimed at equipping the leaders of the future with the knowledge, skills, and network to join global efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons – the most dangerous weapons on earth.

The programme is seeking youth who are motivated to use their talents to promote change for a more peaceful and secure world.

What is unique about this programme?

The selected participants will receive training in general principles of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control through online courses, with a selected cohort going on a week-long in-person study tour to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The future leaders will also exchange ideas with disarmament experts from think tanks, civil society organizations, media, and the diplomatic field, and will be provided with the opportunity to develop practical skills and know-how to engage and practically contribute to issues related to nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control.

Importantly, participants will learn about the lessons that the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, called hibakusha, have long been sharing with the world about the unimaginable suffering caused by nuclear weapons. As the hibakusha continue to age, it is vital that their powerful stories and appeals to eliminate nuclear weapons are carried forward by future generations.