- UNITAR and ITS Education Asia invite youth in Asia and the Pacific to apply for the “UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific Programme 2025”.
- The 2025 programme will focus on empowering youth across the Asia-Pacific region to create local solutions for global challenges by developing their ability to address international issues and enhancing their knowledge of the SDGs.
- The training sessions will take place online over eight Saturdays and culminate in a virtual graduation event.
- The deadline for applications is 10 October 2025
UNITAR
18 September 2025, Hiroshima, Japan - United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and ITS Education Asia invite motivated Asia-Pacific youth to apply for the “UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia-Pacific Programme 2025”. The programme will run for 8 weeks with the theme “Future Skills for Grassroots Leadership”.
This training programme aims to deepen the youth’s understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strengthen their entrepreneurship skills, and help them develop ideas to combat community problems. At the end of the programme, the Youth Ambassadors will present their self-directed capstone projects to be implemented in their local communities to drive positive change. The application deadline is 10 October 2025, 6 p.m. HKT (UTC +8).
The programme is open to a maximum of five young persons per country, who will be in the Asia-Pacific region for the duration of the training. It will be held online over eight consecutive Saturdays, culminating in a virtual graduation event.
The programme will be delivered in English, and participants who fulfil all requirements will receive a UNITAR certificate of completion. By the end of the programme, each participant will have a solid SDG-related project that they can then further develop in their local communities. The participants will be mentored by UNITAR and ITS staff and have the opportunity to engage with experts and government officials.
Who Is Eligible
The programme is open to motivated Asia-Pacific youth who meet the following criteria:
- Residing in the Asia-Pacific region
- Applicants must be between 16 and 24 years old (born on or after January 1, 2001, and on or before December 31, 2009).
- Good spoken English skills
- Committed to completing the programme
- Can commit approximately 3 hours for each programme session
- Has experience in impactful local community work
- Demonstrates good research skills and background knowledge of sustainability
- Passionate to succeed and make a lasting positive difference in their communities
A referee, not related to the applicant, is required who can attest to the applicant’s experiences and abilities regarding community work and vouch for the applicant’s general abilities concerning attendance, diligence, research ability, and knowledge of sustainability. This referee can be a schoolteacher, professor, or another appropriate figure.
How to Apply
Apply from the ITS website by 10 October 2025, 6 p.m. HKT (UTC +8)
Programme Cost
The programme cost is USD 900 per participant.
Programme Timeline
The programme sessions will be on the following dates, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. HKT (UTC +8).
- October 11 (Sat.): Welcome, Introduction to the UN/SDGs
- October 18 (Sat.): Workshop on identifying issues in the SDGs context and creating the framework for solutions
- October 25 (Sat.): Grassroots leadership
- November 1 (Sat.): Global issues in the context of SDGs
- November 8 (Sat.): Accelerating in the community
- November 15 (Sat.): SDGs and utilizing them locally
- November 22 (Sat.): Tips on how to present and apply lessons learned from the programme back at school and beyond
- November 29 (Sat.): Graduation day and final presentations on community outreach
Programme page
UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific Programme
Contact
UNITAR Hiroshima Office, Division for Prosperity: A.J. Koikoi Email: hiroshima@unitar.org
ITS Education Asia: Danny Harrington Email: sustainability@itseducation.asia
About ITS Education Asia
ITS Education Asia (ITS) provides flexible learning options primarily aimed at helping students without access to mainstream schooling. ITS is accredited with UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service), Pearson plc, Cambridge Assesment, CIOT (Chartered Institute of Taxation), IQT (In-Q- Tel), Minerva University and more. ITS also has a range of support services available to students who remain in traditional schools but need enhanced learning and support. In addition, the non-profit ITS Foundation delivers sustainability education through a variety of programmes and is closely aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda. Learn more at itseducation.asia.
About UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations. In 2024, UNITAR trained approximately 550,000 learners around the world to support their actions for a better future. UNITAR has a global presence, with offices in Geneva, Hiroshima, New York and Bonn and networks around the world. Find out more at www.unitar.org