By Rodney Reynolds
NEW YORK | 15 May 24 (IDN) — The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) has launched the first edition of GenerAcción Paz: building dreams, disarming violence (GenerAcción Paz: armando sueños, desarmando la violencia), which aspires to empower young people to create a region free of armed violence.
The call issued on 10 May is aimed at Spanish speakers between the ages of 18 and 29 living in Latin America and the Caribbean. Young people from diverse academic or professional backgrounds are invited to apply. Ten standout participants will be selected based on their active participation in youth networks or associations, their organizational and leadership skills, as well as their interests and initiatives to promote a region free of armed violence.
“It is crucial to recognize the role of Latin American and Caribbean youth as agents of change,” said Soledad Urruela, Director of UNLIREC. “Their ability to raise awareness, mobilize resources and promote peace is an invaluable asset in driving positive and lasting change in their communities,” he added.
Nine-month program in three stages
The program—spanning nine months from July 2024 to March 2025—comprises three stages: an online training component, a sponsored study visit to Lima (Peru), and for the selected participants to develop and implement projects to reduce violence in the region.
Throughout, participants will have the opportunity to interact with experts in armed violence prevention and sustainable development, participate in regional workshops, and develop innovative projects to raise awareness and promote change towards a more peaceful and secure region from within their communities.
[The application process opened on 24 April and runs through 31 May. More information about the programme and an application form is available on UNLIREC’s dedicated website at unlirec.org/publicacion/generaccion-paz/]
The GenerAcción Paz: building dreams, disarming violence programme is the first of its kind to be conducted exclusively in Spanish and will provide young people with the tools, support and knowledge they need to turn their ideas and energy into concrete projects that can inspire other Latin American and Caribbean youth.
The program is in line with General Assembly resolutions on youth, peace and disarmament, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The United Nations Trust Support Service for Arms Regulation Cooperation funds the project, which is expected to become a significant milestone in empowering a new generation of young people committed to peace and security in the region. [IDN-InDepthNews]
Photo: As the most representative international organization and the utmost expression of multilateralism, the United Nations is the main instrument to address multifaceted and complex global challenges through collective action. Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten.
