Young Peacebuilders

Guided by the principle that youth are key actors to achieve peace and prevent violent extremism, UNAOC develops educational programming to enhance the ability of young people and their organizations to foster mutual respect, understanding and long-term positive relationships between peoples of different cultures and religions.

The UNAOC Young Peacebuilders is a peace education initiative designed to support young people in gaining skills and competencies that can enhance their positive role in issues of peace and security and in preventing violent conflict. It spotlights initiatives, actions and projects initiated by young people towards peace and the promotion of diversity and dialogue. As such, it responds to recent international policy recommendations outlined in the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2250, 2419 and 2535, on Youth, Peace and Security and the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism.

UNAOC implements this programme in different regions of the world, thereby growing and strengthening the global movement of young peacebuilders. Through this action, UNAOC is committing to support young people’s meaningful participation in peacebuilding with a growing coalition of partners.

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AIM

The Young Peacebuilders programme is designed to engage young people from select regions in a transformative intercultural dialogue and peacebuilding experience. The aim is to support the growth of networks of young peacebuilders who are equipped with the tools to address negative stereotypes, prejudice and polarization in order to build more inclusive and peaceful societies, tackling the drivers of violent extremism.

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AUDIENCE

The programme is intended for young people who are starting their involvement in the field of peacebuilding and intercultural dialogue.

Applicants should be active (staff, volunteer, member etc.) in a non-government and non-for-profit youth-led organization, network, initiative or movement (led by youth for the benefit of youth) and have the ability to consult with and reach a wider group of young people, audience or network, including at the grassroots and community level.

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Learn about stereotypes and how to critically analyze them to reduce their prevalence;
• Understand different perspectives in identity-based conflict and gain tools to develop solutions at local, national and regional level and transform conflicts peacefully;
• Identify push and pull factors creating conditions conducive to violent extremism;
• Develop competences to use different forms of media or expressive arts as a way to create alternative narratives, reduce polarization and promote social inclusion;
• Learn how to successfully design and run impactful projects.

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PROGRAMME COMPONENTS

• Part 1: online phase. Participants complete an online course designed to introduce key peacebuilding terms, tools and concepts and facilitated by UNAOC and other expert trainers. By using a collaborative platform, participants learn, share and engage in discussions while reflecting on their own experiences and peace actions in their communities. The initial online interaction supports participants to get to know each other and be better prepared for their first in-person meeting.
• Part 2: face-to-face workshop. All participants travel to complete the training and experience how peacebuilding is successfully implemented through local field visits. The in-person workshop is designed to consolidate and leverage the learning from the online phase and use it as a foundation for acquiring more skills and competencies in peacebuilding, intercultural dialogue and conflict resolution. Through multiple interactive methodologies, participants are guided to develop their own peace initiatives which they implement upon return to their community.
• Part 3: applied learning. Participants implement their own peace initiative under the guidance of the UNAOC’s trainers. These are often designed to reinforce and integrate the learning from the programme and amplify the messages and efforts to foster intercultural dialogue. Participants remain connected with each other through online platforms, while regularly reporting on the implementation of their projects.
• Part 4: results sharing symposium. Participants are invited to participate in a symposium during which they share their experience, lessons learned, achievements and recommendations with a broader audience of practitioners, policy makers, media and the general public.