12 August 2025, Hiroshima, Japan – UNITAR invites 100 participants, aged 18 and above, living in or from Pacific Island countries and territories or the Asia-Pacific to apply for the Japan-funded “UNITAR Women’s Leadership in Disaster Risk Reduction Training Programme for World Tsunami Awareness Day 2025”. The programme will equip the participants with lifelong skills in disaster risk reduction and inclusive leadership. The deadline for applications is 3 September 2025 (11:59 p.m. JST [UTC+9]).

3 August 2025, Osaka, Japan - Michelle Gyles-McDonnough, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), visited the Expo 2025 Osaka and spoke at an event held at the United Nations (UN) pavilion. This marks her first visit to Japan since officially taking up the post at UNITAR in February this year. From 5 to 6 August, she is scheduled to visit Hiroshima, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing, and participate in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony.

3 August 2025, Osaka, Japan - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and Pasona Group Inc. signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 3 August at the UN Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka, Japan, reaffirming both parties’ commitment to accelerating joint efforts toward sustainable growth and inclusive prosperity worldwide.

July 14, 2025, New York, USA — UNITAR office in New York, in partnership with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), launched the 2025 edition of the SDG Learning, Training and Practice series—SDGs in Practice—as a Special Event from July 14 to July 23, 2025 on the margins of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development.

29 July 2025, New York, USA - The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), in collaboration with the Fosun Foundation, commenced the fourth edition of its flagship “Global Diplomacy Bootcamp” at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Held during a landmark year marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, this week-long programme from 21 July to 25 July brought together a cohort of globally minded young leaders to engage in intensive training focused on the UN system, multilateral negotiations, and the practical skills essential to international diplomacy. This year’s edition placed particular emphasis on youth-led innovation and the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across all sessions.

29 July 2025, Hiroshima, Japan – On the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), in collaboration with Hiroshima Prefectural Government and the Hiroshima Organization for Peace (HOPe), will hold a youth dialogue for international peace on 6 August 2025. The event will be publicly livestreamed in Japanese and English.

28 July 2025, Geneva, Switzerland - Global leaders in higher education and sustainable development convened during a dynamic side event at the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development to reaffirm higher education’s vital role in addressing the challenges of our century. Organized by UNITAR, UNESCO, and Majmaah University and CIFAL Saudi Arabia, the side event “Innovating across higher education space for more inclusive and sustainable future for all” spotlighted the momentum behind the Leaders in Higher Education Alliance Programme – For Accelerating Sustainability Transformations (LEAP-FAST), which is a global initiative uniting higher education institutions in fostering inclusive, transformative, and sustainable innovation.

The United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT), part of UNITAR, delivers satellite analysis, training, and capacity development to UN entities and Member States. We leverage geospatial technologies to support humanitarian response, sustainable development, and resilience building worldwide. Through satellite analysis and targeted training initiatives, UNOSAT empowers UN entities and Member States to leverage geospatial technologies for evidence-based decision making. The project “Strengthening Capacities in the Use of Geospatial Information for Improved Resilience in Asia-Pacific and Africa”, implemented between 2021-2024 with funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), supported eight countries across Asia-Pacific and Africa in strengthening their geospatial capabilities to address development challenges. The following case study from Bhutan demonstrates the transformative impact of this initiative.

16 July 2025, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – As part of shared commitment to road safety and education and promoting safer mobility in the Dominican Republic, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (INTRANT), the Liga Municipal Dominicana (LMD), the International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders (CIFAL) Dominican Republic and Pernod Ricard have re-introduced the Autosobriety Training Programme, an initiative focused on raising awareness about the risks of alcohol consumption while driving.

16 July 2025, Hiroshima, Japan - On 12 July 2025, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) welcomed 524 young participants from Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon to the Japan-funded "RISE LAB: Igniting Youth Potential through Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Economic Resilience" training programme. Designed as a multi-phase approach, this programme aims to empower motivated entrepreneurs and leaders, both men and women, from Egypt, Iraq, and Lebanon, who are eager to create and implement innovative local solutions to enhance food security and improve the broader private sector.