Deadline: June 1, 2014
Apply now to take part in the UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Youth Conference in Japan! The UNESCO ESD Youth Conference will bring together 50 young ESD leaders from around the world in Okayama City, Japan on 7 November 2014.
Are you between 18 and 35 years old? Are you involved in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? Do you have success stories and innovative ESD initiatives you could share? Would you like to meet and collaborate with other ESD youth leaders from around the world? Do you want to add your voice to youth-focused recommendations that will be presented at the World Conference on ESD? If you answered yes, then don’t miss your chance!
Benefits
As a Youth Conference participant you will have an opportunity to exchange your ideas and experiences with peers. You will be able to discuss innovative approaches to ESD and ways to promote young people’s contribution and further involvement in the global ESD movement. And you will help elaborate commitments to future ESD actions.
Conference participants will also be involved in developing recommendations for the UNESCO World Conference on ESD, which will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from 10-12 November 2014. All Youth Conference participants will be invited to take part in the World Conference.
The Youth Conference is being organized by UNESCO, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT), the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, the City of Okayama and The Goi Peace Foundation. The ESD Conference is being organized as part of UNESCO’s Operational Strategy on Youth 2004-2021 (axis 3).
Eligibility
To be eligible for participation in the UNESCO ESD Youth Conference, you must:
- Be between 18-35 years of age as of 1 June 2014.
- Have demonstrated active engagement in the field of Education for Sustainable Development.
- 3) Have a good command of English, and be able to actively participate in conference discussions.
- Be able to attend the full schedule of events in Japan from 6-13 November 2014 (or at least through 11 November), and to take part in the prior online consultations in September-October 2014 to prepare for Youth Conference discussions and input to the World Conference.
Selection criteria
The selection of participants will be made by the UNESCO ESD Youth Conference organizers (UNESCO; Ministry of Education,
Culture, Sports, Science and Technology ofJapan; The Goi Peace Foundation) according to the following criteria:
- Age: between 18 and 35 years old
- Engagement and expertise in the field of ESD
- Willingness and ability to contribute to the conference discussions and output
- Commitment to take part in the preparatory and follow-up processes to ensure a productive conference
- Outreach to disseminate the results of the conference and act as multipliers
- Commitment to advance ESD after 2014
- Geographic, gender, age, and sector diversity will be considered.
Selection results will be sent out to all applicants by 15 August 2014.
Travel Sponsorship
Successful applicants will receive travel sponsorship. Organizers will provide roundtrip air tickets between the participant’s nearest airport and Japan, as well as accommodation, meals and transportation within Japan. Please note that participants are responsible for their domestic transportation (from their home to the nearest airport), visa application, traveler’s insurance, and incidental expenses during their stay in Japan.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit the following documents to be considered:
1) Application form: Please complete the Application Form in English. The document file must be saved in Microsoft Word format with filename “LAST NAME_First Name_Country Name.docx” (in this format).
2) Recommendation letter: A letter from a head or officer of an ESD/youth-related organization or institution stating the applicant’s engagement and relevant competency in ESD. The letter must be written in English and include contact information of the
signatory (in any format, no longer than one page).
Download the application form here and submit by email to esd2014(at)goipeace.or.jp, with the subject line “LAST NAME_First Name_Country Name.docx” (in this format).
Note: Please send only one email with both documents attached. Do not send your application more than once.
Please see the Application Guidelines for the UNESCO ESD Youth Conference for further information.
