15 December 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Arab Gulf Program for Development (AGFUND) signed two agreements today to scale up action on financial inclusion and women empowerment in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East and to strengthen public health systems in Afghanistan.

25 October 2021, Hiroshima, Japan - UNITAR has signed a memorandum of understanding with Sunlight (a home care brand under Unilever Kenya Limited) and Absa Bank Kenya, forming a new partnership to deliver the programme Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Leadership Training for Women Entrepreneurs in Africa.

3 September 2021, Hiroshima, Japan – From algorithms that are designed and used to shape the way our social media news feed is shown, to those profiling users and curating the information they receive, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is impacting human rights worldwide. There is an urgent need to inform and educate people on how their rights are affected by AI and empower them with tools to guard their rights. UNESCO and UNITAR jointly launched a new microlearning course on AI and Human Rights for youths aged 16 to 24. The course breaks down complex concepts about AI through activities built around our daily technology interactions. The course focuses on how freedom of expression, right to privacy and the right to equality are impacted using AI.

20 August 2021, Hiroshima, Japan – On Saturday, 18 September 2021, UNITAR, in collaboration with ITS Education Asia and KIDsforSDGs, will host a free public webinar to celebrate the launch of the UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Programme on 25 September 2021.

19 July 2021, Hiroshima, Japan – On Friday, August 6th, 2021, UNITAR, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), Hiroshima Prefecture, and the Hiroshima Organization for Global Peace (HOPe), will host a public seminar on promoting the abolition of nuclear weapons from the perspective of three stakeholders.

16 July 2021, Hiroshima, Japan – Dai Tamesue, two-time World Championships bronze medallist in the 400m hurdles, was appointed UNITAR Goodwill Ambassador in July 2021. “I am committed to training Asian athletes and fostering friendship among them, so I resonate with UNITAR’s activities. I look forward to promoting its missions,” said Mr. Tamesue at the online press conference held on 14 July 2021.

28 June 2021, Geneva, Switzerland/ Bogotá, Colombia: On 30 June 2021, 16.00-18.00 CEST, The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) brings together a unique virtual panel of artists, peacebuilding and human rights practitioners from Colombia and the Latin American continent to discuss the power of storytelling and art as tools for reconciliation. Featuring among others 1992 Nobel Peace Laureate Rigoberta Menchú Tum and the musicians Juanes and Marta Gómez, the panel members will share their diverse experiences in using different forms of artistic expression and storytelling to support communities in moving from mistrust and violence to a culture of dialogue and peace.

25 May 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – The President of the 74th World Health Assembly and Minister of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan, Ms Dechen Wangmo visited the Defeat-NCD Partnership’s office at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in Geneva today to set the tone at a high-level panel discussion aimed at tackling the twin challenges of COVID-19 and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). “I understand that time has passed for mere statements and rhetoric in addressing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of universal access to health”, she said. “It is time to act now”.

25 May 2021, Hong Kong, China / Hiroshima, Japan - UNITAR and ITS Education Asia will jointly launch the UNITAR Youth Ambassador Asia Pacific Programme. The 10-week programme empowers high school students to help our world build back better, greener, and stronger from the COVID-19 pandemic. The programme will debut in Hong Kong in September 2021 with the support of 20 official school partners. It will be expanded to various cities in China in 2022, followed by other Asia-Pacific countries in 2023.

20 May 2021, Geneva, Switzerland - UNITAR is proud to announce that Professor Paul Arthur Berkman, Associated Fellow, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Award to Norway for 2021-22. This award is conferred by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.