UN Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament, Development in Latin America, Caribbean Launches Initiative to Empower Young People in Arms Control, Peacebuilding
NEW YORK, 10 May (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — On the occasion of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace and Spanish Language Day, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) launched the first edition of GenerAcción Paz: building dreams, disarming violence (GenerAcción Paz: armando sueños, desarmando la violencia), which aspires to empower young people to create a region free of armed violence.
The call is aimed at Spanish speakers between the ages of 18 and 29 living in Latin America and the Caribbean. Young people from diverse academic or professional backgrounds are invited to apply. Ten standout participants will be selected on the basis of their active participation in youth networks or associations, their organizational and leadership skills, as well as their interests and initiatives to promote a region free of armed violence.
“It is crucial to recognize the role of Latin American and Caribbean youth as agents of change,” said Soledad Urruela, Director of UNLIREC. “Their ability to raise awareness, mobilize resources and promote peace is an invaluable asset in driving positive and lasting change in their communities.”
The programme, which will span a nine-month period from July 2024 to March 2025, is comprised of three stages: an online training component, a sponsored study visit to Lima (Peru), and for the selected participants to develop and implement projects aimed at reducing armed violence in the region. Throughout, participants will have the opportunity to interact with experts in armed violence prevention and sustainable development, participate in regional workshops, and develop innovative projects to raise awareness and promote change towards a more peaceful and secure region from within their communities.
The application process opened on 24 April and runs through 31 May. More information about the programme and an application form is available on UNLIREC’s dedicated website at unlirec.org/publicacion/generaccion-paz/.
The GenerAcción Paz: building dreams, disarming violence programme is the first of its kind to be conducted exclusively in Spanish and will provide young people with the tools, support and knowledge they need to turn their ideas and energy into concrete projects that can inspire other Latin American and Caribbean youth.
The GenerAcción Paz programme is in line with General Assembly resolutions on youth, peace and disarmament, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This pioneering project is funded by the United Nations Trust Support Service for Arms Regulation Cooperation and hopes to become a significant milestone in empowering a new generation of young people committed to peace and security in the region.
For more information, please contact: Soledad Urruela at urruela@unlirec.org or Elena Batani at batani@unlirec.org.