Young Peacebuilders in West Africa Are Needed

Applications now open

Deadline to apply: August 31, 2016

Application Guidelines and eligibility criteria available HERE

Guided by the principle that youth are key actors to achieve peace, 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 Young Peacebuilders project is designed to engage young women and young men from West Africa in an 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 stereotypes, prejudice and polarization in order to build more inclusive and peaceful societies in their communities and globally.

The programme is intended for young women and young men who are starting their involvement in this field.

20 selected participants will learn and collaborate online and in-person during 12 weeks – from October to December 2016.

Participants will interact online through a series of facilitated modules and in-person during a one-week workshop in Abuja, Nigeria in November.

During the programme, participants will:

• Learn about other cultures, faiths and worldviews within and beyond the group to foster intercultural cohesion and collaboration;
• 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;
• Develop competences to use different forms of media or expressive arts as a way to create alternative narratives, reduce polarization and promote social inclusion.