UNIDIR Youth Global Disarmament Essay and Prize is a Trip to Switzerland

UNIDIR has launched its first annual Youth Global Disarmament Essay competition will be held in 2022. The initiative will invite students and young professionals aged between 18 and 29 years to prepare and submit an original essay of no more than 2,000 words on the theme of “the disarmament, security, and development nexus, including with reference to the Secretary-General’s Disarmament Agenda entitled ‘Securing Our Common Future’ and the United Nations General Assembly resolution on Youth, Disarmament and Non-proliferation (A/RES/76/45). Your entry might consider, but is not limited to, exploring the following areas:

• Disarmament, economic growth and inequalities.
• Disarmament for sustainable cities.
• Innovative disarmament efforts in the light of 21st century’s environmental challenges.
• Gender mainstreaming for sustainable disarmament and development.

Applicants are invited to draw on their personal experience, whether at the local, national, regional, or international level. All papers will be reviewed anonymously on the basis of their originality, intellectual rigor, relevance to the theme of the competition, and clarity of expression. 

The best essays will be awarded the following prizes:

• The top essay writer will be offered the opportunity to be a non-residential Young Leader Fellow at UNIDIR. The Young Leader Fellow will work with a UNIDIR expert during a week-long all-expenses paid trip to Geneva to prepare and deliver a presentation, based on their winning essay, during an awards ceremony at the at the UN HQ in Geneva. Trip expenses will be determined based on individual circumstances and consistent with UNIDIR rules and regulations.
• The second and third-place essay writers will be offered the opportunity to be a non-residential Young Leader Fellow at UNIDIR. The Young Leader Fellow will work with a UNIDIR expert online to prepare and deliver a presentation, based on their winning essay, during an awards ceremony at the UN HQ in Geneva.
• The five-best essays will be published online as part of UNIDIR’s series of Youth Commentaries, which will be promoted in a dedicated section on its website, through social media and UNIDIR’s research networks.
• The five-best essays will also be shared as background reading for participants involved in UNIDIR’s Model United Nations First Committee simulation.
• In addition, the five finalists will receive a certificate signed by the Director of UNIDIR and by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea in Geneva.

• Age-range: 18-29 years old as of submission date.
• UNIDIR encourages applications, without distinction, on the basis of gender, racial, ethnic or social origin, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, disability, nationality, sexual orientation or gender identity.
• UNIDIR shall have the right at any time to require proof of identity and/or eligibility to participate in the essay competition. Failure to provide such proof may result in disqualification. All personal and other information requested by and supplied to UNIDIR for the purpose of the competition must be truthful, complete, accurate, and in no way misleading.
• Availability to travel to Geneva during September 2022. While it is the responsibility of the candidate for obtaining the necessary visa to enter Switzerland and complying with swiss entry regulations regarding Covid-19 pandemic, UNIDIR will provide administrative assistance to facilitate the travel, and will cover all related costs (cost associated with obtaining a visa and cost associated with performing a PCR test).
• Technical requirements for the submission see here.

About UNIDIR:

UNIDIR is a voluntarily funded, autonomous institute within the United Nations. One of the few policy institutes worldwide focusing on disarmament, UNIDIR generates knowledge and promotes dialogue and action on disarmament and security. Based in Geneva, UNIDIR assists the international community to develop the practical, innovative ideas needed to find solutions to critical security problems.

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