Youth Leader Fund for World without Nuclear Weapons Announces New Group of Youth to Receive Training in Disarmament, Leadership, Storytelling
NEW YORK, 31 July 2025 (Office for Disarmament Affairs) – One hundred young participants from 61 countries around the world have been selected to join the second phase of the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons, an interactive learning programme funded by the Government of Japan and managed by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs. Through online courses, meetings with diplomats and other experts and the development of creative projects, the Youth Leader Fund will equip these young leaders with the knowledge, skills and networks needed to contribute to the global effort to eliminate nuclear weapons — the most dangerous weapons on Earth.
The 100 selected leaders, aged 18 to 29, were chosen from over 8,400 applications — an overwhelming response that speaks to the increasing interest, passion and commitment of youth to peace and disarmament efforts.
The new cohort of youth leaders was announced and celebrated during the launch event for the second phase of the Programme, held on 31 July 2025 at the Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations in New York City. The hybrid-format event featured a video message from the Government of Japan, followed by in-person remarks by Izumi Nakamitsu, Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. The newly selected youth participants, members of the first phase of Youth Leader Funder, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs staff, as well as delegates from other Member States also attended the event online and in-person. Ambassador Kazuyuki Yamazaki, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, delivered a closing remark.
“In challenging times, the creative and transformative power of youth offers renewed hope for change. Through the YLF programme, we reaffirm our commitment to young people as architects of the future, building peace upon the foundations laid by the past: the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki reminds us of the urgent need to keep nuclear disarmament at the heart of the United Nations’ efforts, as it has been since its inception,” stated Ms. Nakamitsu.
“I would like to congratulate all of you who were selected from among the many applicants to participate in this second cohort. As the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are ageing, the role of the younger generations, such as yourselves, is becoming even more significant in passing on the realities of the atomic bombings and in conveying them broadly throughout the world,” stated Iwaya Takeshi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, in a video message.
The event featured an intergenerational dialogue between Youth Leader Fund participants and a hibakusha from Nagasaki, highlighting the crucial role of youth in carrying forward the legacy of survivors. This was followed by a panel discussion, focusing on youth, education and disarmament in the context of the eightieth anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the adoption of the UN Charter.
Through the Youth Leader Fund programme, participants will gain a fundamental understanding of key issues related to disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control. Following successful completion of the e-learning component, 50 participants will be selected for a fully funded study tour to Japan, including Hiroshima and Nagasaki, where they will engage with hibakusha and international and local youth in Japan, with whom they will organize a conference to foster meaningful discussions and exchange of ideas.
In this second phase of the Youth Leader Fund, young people will explore subjects such as the human cost of nuclear weapons, the role of the United Nations in multilateral disarmament efforts and the impact of nuclear armament on gender and on the environment. Participants will also engage in skills workshops on leadership and negotiation and a new creative component focusing on journalism and storytelling to communicate about nuclear disarmament in impactful, effective and human-centred ways.
Under the Youth4Disarmament umbrella, the UN Office of Disarmament Affairs aims to promote youth engagement, education and capacity-building to advance in disarmament and non-proliferation goals. This includes connecting geographically diverse young people with experts to learn and exchange ideas about current international security challenges, the work of the United Nations and ways to actively participate, building the path towards a secure common future.
To learn more about the Youth Leader Fund, please visit: disarmamenteducation.org/ylf.
Contact: youthleaderfund@un.org.