26 August 2024, Hiroshima, Japan – Today, selected participants of the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons (YLF) begin their week-long study visit to Japan. There, they will meet with survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and host their own youth-led conference.

The YLF programme, funded by the Government of Japan and managed by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), seeks to engage a diverse cross-section of future leaders from non-nuclear weapon States and States that possess nuclear weapons, develop their capacities, and integrate their voices into nuclear disarmament processes.

The study visit to Japan, supported by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Hiroshima Office, aims to bring the world to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to learn the lessons of nuclear weapons use, and bring the legacy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the world. The participants will be welcomed to Japan by Prime Minister Kishida via a video message during an opening ceremony.

The first-ever training round of the Youth Leader Fund was launched in December 2023, when 100 youths embarked on an online knowledge and skills building track. Notably, young people from six States possessing nuclear weapons are part of this diverse first cohort.

Now, in Japan, a group of selected participants will have a unique opportunity to meet with and speak to the Hibakusha, survivors of the atomic bombings. Through field excursions, including to the Peace Memorial Parks of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the YLF members, joined by local youth, will learn about the consequences of using nuclear weapons as well as how the two prefectures recovered. Together, the young people will strengthen their networks and build their skills to advocate for a world without nuclear weapons. 

The study tour will conclude with a youth-led conference, organized by all YLF participants. High-level representatives of the Government of Japan, local officials from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and various UN agencies will attend.

After the study tour, the future leaders will continue their advocacy efforts in their communities, applying the knowledge and skills that they have gained during the programme to drive for positive change.

This is the first group to participate in the innovative Youth Leader Fund programme, which is set to continue until 2030. Following the 2023 – 2024 inaugural phase, three more training rounds will be conducted to generate a positive ripple effect and consolidate a worldwide network of talented future leaders with the shared goal of saving humanity from nuclear weapons. The next call for applications is envisioned to open in 2025.