Acknowledging the critical role of the MENA region in addressing climate challenges and the potential for youth leadership to create a more sustainable, peaceful, and prosperous future, the Wilson Center is launching the 2025 cohort of the Agents of Change Youth Fellowship. This program offers emerging leaders from the MENA region the opportunity to pursue impactful careers at the intersection of climate change and security.

The 2025 cohort will focus on water issues: Water scarcity is a growing crisis in the MENA region, one of the most water-stressed areas globally. By 2050, all of MENA’s population is expected to experience severe water stress. Contributing factors include climate change, rising demand, and persistent water management challenges. Addressing these issues and their connections to regional conflicts is essential for promoting stability, long-term peace, sustainability, and prosperity.

The 2025 program will consist of two main components:

1. Seminar Series: The fellowship will feature a virtual seminar series that covers key water-related topics in MENA, as well as sessions on policy writing and storytelling. These seminars will bring together experts in the field and provide fellows with valuable insights to inform their research.
2. Capstone Projects: Fellows will develop a 3,000-word research paper on water issues in MENA, drawing from both their personal experiences and the knowledge gained during the fellowship. They will present their findings at a final in-person meeting, and the Wilson Center will compile the papers into a published volume.

Note: The selected fellows will be announced in January 2025. The fellowship will run from January to December 2025, with seminar attendance required (primarily virtual) until the final in-person capstone event.