By Iminza Keboge
Published May 17, 2023
United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) invites youth-led organizations around the world 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,’ UNAOC says of the call whose deadline is May 31, 2023. ‘Join a new cohort of young dynamic change-makers who are making a difference in their communities by promoting peaceful and inclusive societies.’
“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 Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UNAOC’s High Representative. “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.”
UNAOC says YSF will award seed funding of up to US$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.
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Established in 2008, UNAOC says YSF ‘has funded and supported 73 youth-led organizations in more than 40 countries worldwide’.
UNAOC says ‘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 unaoc.org/youthsolidarityfund/ website.
