The Fellowship Programme
In 2010, the UNAOC launched the Fellowship Programme based on the notion that intercultural dialogue and mutual cooperation can build bridges of understanding between different cultures and societies. Framed around two-week exchange trips between young civil society leaders from Europe and North-America (EUNA) and the Middle East and North-Africa (MENA), the programme sends participants from each geographic cluster to visit their counterparts’ region and experience cultural immersion while interacting with a wide range of local actors and partners. Every country-visit is designed to provide participants with crucial comprehension tools to help them understand the plurality and complexity of their surroundings…
The Selection Process
Participants are selected for their potential in shaping opinion and taking strong initiatives within their community. In their applications, candidates have to demonstrate a strong interest – backed by concrete ideas – to engage with peers and partners from the countries they are going to visit, and propose positive and innovative models of intercultural cooperation. Candidates have to show a level of professional accomplishment in intercultural dialogue and in the theme chosen by UNAOC, through their involvement in politics, civil society, media, local community organizations, faith-based associations, grassroots initiatives, academia, think-tanks, arts, and other fields relevant to the objectives of the UNAOC Fellowship.
The Alumni Network
Since its creation in 2010, 20 cohorts have traveled with the Fellowship Programme across the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the U.S. Two cohorts participated in the virtual edition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, a total of 269 young civil society leaders from 50 states have joined the Fellowship Alumni Network. From grassroots organizations to official institutions, UNAOC Fellowship Alumni are professionally involved across the world in a wide spectrum of activities such as arts, conflict resolution, counter-terrorism, culture, education, global health, governance, human rights, international law, media, migration, new technologies, peacebuilding, sustainable development, sports, women empowerment, youth empowerment and many more.