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UNAOC 2015 EUNA participants Call for Applications 2015 UNAOC Fellowship Programme Call for Applications
Participants from Europe and North America (EUNA)
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
1.
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) was established in 2005, at the political
initiative of Mr. Kofi Anan, former UN Secretary General and co-sponsored by the Governments
of Spain and Turkey. A High-Level Group of experts was formed by Mr. Annan to explore the
roots of polarization between societies and cultures today, and recommend a practical
programme of action to address the issue. The Report of the High-Level Group provided analysis
and put forward practical recommendations, which is at the basis of the UNAOC implementation
plan. In 2013, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser became UN High Representative for the Alliance
of Civilizations, operating with UNAOC Secretariat from New York City.
The UNAOC has developed strong relationships with a wide range of partners such as States and
governments, global and regional organizations, civil society groups, private foundations, media,
and grass-root initiatives, with the objective to improve cross-cultural understanding between
peoples and societies. The High-Level Group has identified four priority areas in its 2006 report:
Education, Youth, Migration, Media. The UNAOC projects and activities revolve around these
areas, guided by the assumption that they can play a critical role in reducing intercultural
tensions and in building bridges between nations.
Under the UN Charter principles, the High-Level Group reports, and UN Secretariat’s priorities,
the UNAOC works toward a more peaceful and more inclusive world. It seeks to encourage
mutual respect between peoples of multiple cultures, faiths and origins, in order to reject
extremism and embrace diversity. The UNAOC also aims at issuing recommendations to solve
identity-based crisis and to promote cultural awareness in policy-making processes. The Highlevel group described UNAOC as an entity whose mission is to fight xenophobia and promote
harmony between nations. It has been described by UN Secretary-General as a soft power tool
for bridging divides and promoting understanding between countries or identity groups, while
preventing conflict and promoting social cohesion.
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UNAOC 2015 EUNA participants Call for Applications 2.
The Fellowship Programme
The UNAOC Fellowship Programme aims at fostering intercultural exchange and interfaith
understanding by engaging with emerging leaders and young professionals from across the
world. The Programme is framed around a two-week exchange trip to Europe and North
America and to the Middle East and North Africa between two groups of participants from both
regions. The Fellowship offers its participants a first hand exposure to diversity and the
opportunity to experience cultural immersion while interacting with a wide range of local actors
and partners. In every country visited, fellows are being provided with crucial comprehension
tools to understand the plurality and the complexity of their surroundings.
Over the years, and after 12 editions, the Programme has developed a global and plural Alumni
network committed to spread awareness and understanding between peoples and societies of
different cultures and religions. After their trip, participants will join this multicultural pool of
136 Alumni working actively to encourage intercultural dialogue and cooperation within their
community and across the world.
Ten to twelve participants from Europe, North America on one end, and from the Middle East
and North Africa on the other end, will travel for two weeks to their counterparts’ region. During
their trip, participants will interact with actors from various backgrounds in order to get an
extensive grasp of their host country’s culture, politics, society, religion, media and more.
The main objective of the Fellowship is to involve participants into intercultural cooperation and
interfaith dialogue, and encourage them to engage in broader and deeper discussions on cultural
awareness and sensitivity. By exposing fellows to new ideas and perspectives, and by immersing
them into culturally diverse and unfamiliar environments, the Fellowship Programme aims at
challenging perceptions and deconstructing stereotypes. Building on that first step, participants
are then better qualified to develop cross-cultural partnerships in their fields of expertise and take
action on bridging divides between peoples from different religions and origins.
In 2015, EUNA participants’ trip to MENA countries will focus on a specific sub-theme: Youth
Development. There are four main reasons behind such choice. First, Youth is one of UNAOC
main pillars of action (along with Education, Media and Migration). Second, this topic is at the
center of current events in the MENA region and is becoming more relevant everyday. Third, it
remains broad enough to allow interaction with a wide range of actors, while ensuring effective
exchanges and activities on the ground and across the region. Fourth, an important number of
Alumni are themselves involved in the field of Youth Development. Their expertise will add a
unique value to the content of the Programme, while strengthening the bounds between former
and new participants from both regions around common values and interests.
However, the agenda will also give central attention to more general aspects related to cultural
interactions between EUNA and MENA societies, and will allow participants to meet with a
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UNAOC 2015 EUNA participants Call for Applications variety of local partners in order to get a more nuanced understanding of the complexity of their
surroundings. During their trip, fellows will meet with actors from different background, such as
government officials, international organizations, community leaders, local entrepreneurs, civil
society groups, media, and more.
The goal of this two-week trip is to enable participants to position themselves as informed
stakeholders and to develop partnerships between both regions while reinforcing positive
exchanges and cooperation. At the end of their trip, participants will have to write a collective
report on Youth Development, assessing the situation, identifying key actors and challenges, and
proposing an action plan to improve intercultural collaboration in the field of Youth
Development.
3.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible participants must be:
- From the U.S., Canada, the European Union and the rest of Europe
- Born between January 1st 1977 and December 31st 1990
- Fluent in English
- Be directly involved, at a personal and/or professional level, within the field of Youth
Development through governmental position, politics, civil society, media, community/faith
based associations and initiatives, academia, think-tanks, arts, and any other fields relevant to
the Fellowship Programme’s objective.
- In the possession of a passport valid at least 6 months beyond October 2015 (April 2016 and
beyond)
- Available to travel for a period of 15 days in the second half of October 2015 as scheduled by
UNAOC
If you meet each of the above-mentioned criteria, your application will then be evaluated as
explained in the next section.
4.
Evaluation Criteria
Through this evaluation process, the selection jury will be looking for applicants with strong
interest in learning more about MENA countries and their cultures, while having very little
exposure to the region prior the trip. To be selected, participants should have concrete ideas on
how to engage with peers and partners from MENA countries.
The jury will also be assessing professional accomplishment and personal involvement in the
field of Youth Development, and will look for applicants with potential of shaping opinion and
taking strong initiatives within their community.
Shortlisted candidates might be contacted for a 10-minute Skype or phone interview.
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UNAOC 2015 EUNA participants Call for Applications 5.
Selection process
For applications meeting the eligibility criteria, a selection jury composed of UNAOC staff,
Youth Development experts and professionals, and other relevant partners, will review each
submission through a double-blind review process.
While selecting participants, the jury will also make sure to apply the following requirements for
each cohort to be:
- Gender balanced
- Region balanced with one participant from North America for two participants from Europe
- Limited to two participants per European country and to three participants per North
American country
- Professionally balanced with no more than a third of the participants working in the same
industry.
To preserve the above-mentioned balance and to ensure the quality and diversity of participants,
the selection jury will select the next highest scoring candidate to replace the lowest scoring
redundant candidate.
6.
How to apply?
Please complete your application no later than Friday July 10th 2015 at 11:59PM GMT
Your file should include:
- Your application filled in English
- Your resume
- A scan of your passport
Only complete applications meeting the eligibility criteria and sent before the deadline will be
considered.
7.
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Application Form Instructions
Only fill in the following application if you meet all the eligibility criteria mentioned above
in Section 3. Eligibility criteria.
The application is to be completed in English only
The application is to be completed truthfully and in its entirety
Make sure to attach all the documents required in Section 6. How to Apply?
Do not attach anything else but the documents required in Section 6. How to Apply?
Disclaimer: UNAOC reserves the right to not select any applicants, or to cancel the Fellowship
Programme for any reason. UNAOC accepts no liability for cancelling the Fellowship
Programme or for anyone’s failure to receive actual notification of cancellation.
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