21 February 2025, Tokyo, Japan – Fifty agents of change from 18 Asia-Pacific countries graduated from the UNITAR “Leaders for a Free and Open Indo-Pacific: Sea and Human Security” training programme on 21 February 2025.

20 February 2025, Hiroshima, Japan – John Ladu Simon Jacob is on a mission to transform agriculture in South Sudan. As a managing director of an agricultural enterprise, John is tackling one of his country’s greatest challenges: food insecurity. His vision is to reduce South Sudan’s reliance on food imports and build a self-sufficient agricultural system. The UNITAR Great Ideas Space for South Sudan 2023: Entrepreneurship and Innovation Training for Food Security programme helped John gain more skills and confidence to turn his vision into action.

21 February 2025, Geneva, Switzerland – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), in partnership with the University of Arizona, is pleased to announce the launch of the Professional Certificate in Science Policy and Diplomatic Practice.

20 February 2025, Hiroshima, Japan - Seungjae Lee is a South Korean student at an international school in Hong Kong. He is passionate about social issues and active in leadership positions and service activities. One year ago, he started a project to help refugees in Hong Kong who face language barriers.

20 February 2025, Hiroshima, Japan – John Isidore Laure, a youth advocate from Cotabato City, Philippines, currently serves as a monitoring, evaluation and learning officer at a local non-governmental organization (NGO), where he works with local youth councils (Sangguniang Kabataan) to promote good governance and community development. As a teenager, he co-established an organization to prevent violent extremism and misinformation in his community. This experience shaped his commitment to empowering young people and addressing pressing social issues.

20 February 2025, Hiroshima, Japan – In Kenya, where access to basic technology remains a luxury for many, Betty Mwende advocates for digital literacy and inclusivity. Learning through a UNITAR programme and applying what she learned have helped Betty – a student of applied computer technology and communication coordinator for a non-profit to foster collaboration in the tech industry – develop her project management and digital skills while championing digital literacy for marginalized youth.

Competency-based learning is reshaping education and professional training by making learning more personalized, goal-driven, and impactful. CBL empowers learners to thrive in dynamic, skill-driven environments by focusing on real-world competencies rather than passive knowledge accumulation.

18 February 2025, Geneva, Switzerland — On 11 February 2025, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Africa Pastoralist Empowerment Organization (APEO) based in Kenya signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote sustainable agriculture, food and nutrition security, and climate resilience across Africa’s dryland regions. This collaboration aims to empower women and youth, strengthen agricultural value chains, and enhance environmental sustainability.

17 February 2025, Hiroshima, Japan – a gender and technology lawyer from Nairobi, is creating safer digital spaces for women and girls. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in law, innovation, and technology in the UK, Lilian is the founder of a non-profit organization in Kenya that is committed to raising awareness and providing solutions to combat online harassment and cyberbullying.

17 February 2025, Geneva, Switzerland - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is pleased to announce its membership in the Advisory Council of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights (CSHR). As an Advisory Council member, UNITAR joins CSHR’s extensive network dedicated to advancing human rights in sports through multi-stakeholder dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and cross-sectoral collaboration.