New York, February 17, 2016. The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is pleased to announce that 150 youth from around the world were selected to participate in the Youth Event at the 7th UNAOC Global Forum in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Pivotal to the selection of this diverse group was the impact that their initiatives have on fostering social inclusion, intercultural dialogue and promoting peace at local, regional and international levels, whether they work in their country of origin or elsewhere.
“The world we live in is a complex one, characterized by unprecedented intercultural interaction and movement. In this context, UNAOC’s mission to bridge intercultural divides and promote understanding is all the more important”, says UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser. “I’m pleased by the overwhelming amount and the diversity of youth leaders that want to engage collaboratively to change the narrative towards more inclusiveness and peace.”
Over 6,000 applications were received from young people working in more than 160 countries. The call for application was open to young people affiliated with youth-led organizations, networks or initiatives active in the field of intercultural dialogue, migration and social inclusion.
An international committee comprised of representatives of UNAOC, the Azeri government, as well as young women and men active in international youth-led structures was in charge of selecting the finalists. The 150 youth selected will participate in the Youth Event (25 April), the Global Forum (26-27 April) and in an online collaboration phase preceding the Forum.
Participants will be invited to engage with the Forum theme and subthemes, expand their activities through interaction with other youth interested in dialogue and social inclusion, with key stakeholders and experts, and to gain greater access to the global youth movement for peace. Participants will also work on the creation of Narratives of Tomorrow, as the main outcome of the Youth Event. These narratives articulate young women and young men’s vision for the Forum’s theme Living Together in Inclusive Societies.
For more details about the Youth Event and the 7th UNAOC Global Forum in Baku, please consult: baku.unaoc.org.
