In-Person or Online

See the 2021 programme   See the 2022 programme

In 2010, UNITAR implemented a Youth Ambassador Programme to provide an opportunity for young people to learn about the United Nations system as well as careers in diplomacy and international affairs through participation in UNITAR events. The Programme selects a small group of high-school students each year to learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and connect globally with international experts in different fields.

In 2021, seeing the success of the Young Changemaker Incubator, UNITAR appointed The ITS Education Asia Foundation to expand the programme into the Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific Programme. Over the coming years this Programme will bring opportunity to youth in an ever widening circle of empowerment across the Asia-Pacific region.See the press release here.

Programme content and outcomes

In 2023 we will broaden participation even further across the region. The Programme will run across 10 Saturday afternoons again but will now be predominantly virtual to allow its international nature. Sessions led by UNITAR staff (Hiroshima office), ITS SDG teachers and a variety of expert contributors. In 2021 & 2022, experts were from SAP, Fung Group, MIT, Wharton, YouKuai, Uplink, World Economic Forum, Ghana Energy Commission, Microsoft, University of Tokyo and more.

Outcomes:

• receive official United Nations Institute of Training & Research certificate
• become a UNITAR Youth Ambassador, Asia Pacific
• gain access to the global SDG education network
• attend real-life UN and other international events e.g. UN General Assembly (both live stream and in-person)
• qualify for nomination to UN youth committees and organizations

About UNITAR

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) was created in 1963 to train young diplomats from newly-independent UN Member States to function in the diplomatic environment.

Over the years, UNITAR has acquired unique expertise and experience in designing and delivering a variety of training activities and its strategy is fully focused on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) using four of the five thematic pillars - Peace, People, Planet & Prosperity.

UNITAR provides training and capacity development activities to assist mainly developing countries with special attention to the most vulnerable. UNITAR programmes are delivered both face-to-face and via e-Learning and overseen from UNITAR’s Headquarters in Geneva.

The Institute is a project-based organization and does not receive any funds from the regular United Nations budget. UNITAR is financed from voluntary contributions derived mainly from UN Member States, other UN agencies, international and intergovernmental foundations NGOs and the private sector.