An Opportunity to Receive Funding of 25,000 $ for Youth Organizations from UNAOC

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) is pleased to invite youth-led organizations to apply for the Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF). The call is open to organizations from select countries whose work seeks to foster peaceful and inclusive societies through improved understanding and collaboration across cultures, faiths, and beliefs.

Program Overview:

The Youth Solidarity Fund (YSF) supports youth-led organizations that foster peaceful and inclusive societies. Seed funding is given to projects, for and by young people, that demonstrate innovative and effective approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue. Established in 2008, the Fund responded to calls for action made by youth-led organizations around the world on the importance of establishing funding mechanisms for youth. Today, the Fund is more relevant than ever: As the global agenda increasingly speaks of youth’s participation and contribution to peace, development, and security, it is critical to support this participation and contribution through funding and partnership opportunities.

Eligibility:

• The funded projects must be youth-led and youth-focused with age from 18 to 35 years but have an impact on entire communities.
• The projects funded by the YSF target young people from various backgrounds like students, marginalized youth, minorities, youth in rural or urban areas, youth in conflict or post-conflict situations, artists and activists. 
• Your organization should employ creative methodologies to break stereotypes, improve intercultural relations and promote a culture of peace like:

1. Educational activities, ranging from one-day awareness-raising sessions to week-long training, peer-education activities, summer camps, as well as the development of educational materials and tools and creation of networks of student leaders and youth clubs.
2. Arts and sports as tools to address conflict in a non-violent way, to promote inter-community understanding and to raise-awareness about the dangers of sectarianism, extremism, and radicalization.
3. Media and social-media campaigns, video production for advocacy purposes and radio series to promote messages of tolerance and peace.
4. Creative settings that facilitate intercultural dialogue, interfaith understanding, sharing of experiences and learning from each other in order to bring meaningful change to your society.

Funding:

1. YSF will award seed funding (up to 25,000 USD ) for the implementation of selected projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to intercultural or interfaith dialogue and advance the mission of UNAOC.
2. UNAOC offers technical support and capacity building to the organizations during and/or after the implementation of funded projects in the areas of gender mainstreaming, media relations, advocacy, financial management, networking, sustainability, monitoring and evaluation.

Note: YSF only supports projects that are entirely developed and managed by youth for the benefit of youth.

About YSF:

YSF established in 2008, the Fund responded to calls for action made by young civil society leaders around the world on the importance of establishing funding mechanisms for youth-led organizations. Since its creation, YSF has funded 63 youth-led organizations in 39 countries. Today, YSF continues to support youth-led civil society organizations, with a particular focus on the role of young people in promoting peace and preventing violent extremism conducive to terrorism. YSF contributes to advancing the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on Youth, Peace, and Security, which establishes the policy framework to support and engage young people as part of inclusive, participatory approaches to building peaceful and inclusive societies. YSF also contributes to the implementation of the UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism and the call to support young people as they take up the causes of cultural and religious pluralism, peace, and mutual respect.

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