2 April 2024, Jeju, Republic of Korea – The International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders (CIFAL) in Jeju was established in 2010 through a collaboration between UNITAR and the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and the International Peace Foundation.

CIFAL Jeju’s mission is to deliver high-quality capacity-building programmes to help civil servants address complex challenges through innovative approaches and to empower local actors to advance towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. CIFAL Jeju seeks to support Jeju Province in its effort to enhance peace and security in East Asia.

Its activities include youth engagement programmes, conducting expert seminars, workshops on culture and development, global citizenship education, and hosting the Jeju International Future Generation Forum (JIFF).

In 2023, CIFAL Jeju’s guiding theme has been “Amplifying Impact: Pioneering Global Solutions for Sustainable Development”. Under this umbrella, CIFAL Jeju offered education and training programmes in areas related to social inclusion, economic development, environmental sustainability, culture, peace and cross-cutting:

• Good Governance: making ESG work for Sustainability
• Digital Technologies and Wellbeing
• Global Citizenship Education
• Disaster Risk Reduction, Risk-Informed Governance, Finance Mechanisms and Innovative Solutions for Local Resilience
• A Pathway towards Decarbonized and Cleaner Mobility in Asia and the Pacific – Starting from region’s key priorities
• Cities for All: Enabling Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Planning
• Rethinking the Role of Non-State Actors in Enabling the HDP Nexus Approach
• Advancing the Digital Capacities of SMEs & Startups through Leveraging Public-Private Partnerships and Innovative Solutions for an Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development
• Culture as Powerful Fuel for Building a Sustainable City
• Enhancing Inclusivity and Accessibility to Climate Technologies for All
• 2023 Global Young Creatives Residency: Rooted, Growing Island
• Enhancing Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for Effective Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Interventions
• Localizing the SDGs – Sharing Progress, Challenges and Opportunities
• Essential Public Capacity for a Peaceful and More Inclusive Society: Collaborative Governance with a Focus on Negotiation and Mediation Skills in SDGs Implementation and Public Policy Conflicts Resolution
• Jeju Island’s Efforts for Environmental Protection and Future Challenges
• 2023 Jeju International Future Generation Forum: A Sustainable Future through the Language of Youth
• Financing for Sustainable Development
• Enhancing Victim Identification and Protection in the Asia-Pacific Region

Our guiding theme for 2023, ‘Amplifying Impact: Pioneering Global Solutions for Sustainable Development,’ underscores our dedication to providing timely and relevant programmes that address emerging challenges. In the years ahead, we remain committed to contributing to the collective endeavours of international and local stakeholders in their pursuit of the SDGs.  Amb. Byung Hwa CHUNG, Director of CIFAL Jeju/JITC

CIFAL Jeju serves as a regional hub for the exchange of knowledge and good practices. My special recognition to CIFAL Jeju for its exceptional work and unwavering commitment towards UNITAR’s mandate and to advancing sustainable development. I wish you continued success in advancing our shared agenda. Mr. Nikhil Seth, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR