Call for Participants: UNCCD COP13 Youth Forum 2017 -Ordos, China (Fully Funded)

Application Deadline: June 26th 2017

When: 8 – 10 September 2017 in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, China

Young people are an important force toward the development of a sustainable world.

The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) secretariat recognizes the important roles youth play in combating land degradation and promoting sustainable land management (SLM). Empowering young people to protect and restore degraded ecosystems will lead to green innovations that will contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular, reaching SDG15.3 land degradation neutrality.

The UNCCD secretariat invites all young people and youth organization representatives to apply to speak and participate in the international UNCCD Youth Forum at its 13th Conference of the Parties (COP 13). The theme this year is “land, youth and sustainability.”

The Forum will be the platform for youth to:

• Voice their commitments toward achieving land degradation neutrality
• Build their capacities and opportunities to work toward combating desertification, land degradation and drought
• Share their experiences in combating desertification

• be between 18 to 35 years of age;
• be volunteers/ members for a civil society organization or network, academic institution, trade or technical institution or UN youth-related education program;
• be authorized officially by their organization or network to speak on behalf of the organization or institution (providing a signed letter from head of organization or a supervisor)
• have demonstrated ability to engage constructively with a variety of stakeholders;
• be available to be in Ordos, China from 7-10 September 2017;
• have a visa for travel to China, or be able to obtain one within 2 weeks. (Please check with the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in your country. Selected speakers will receive an invitation letter to support a visa application, but will be responsible for obtaining the visa and for any costs associated with obtaining the visa.);
• agree to produce a daily article / blog for the forum when selected
• be able to communicate in English

Benefits:

• Selected speakers and representatives will receive full funding of international travel,
  accommodation and daily allowance during the forum.

For more information contact Marcos Montoiro at mmontoiro@unccd.int or Jenny Choo at  jchoo@unccd.int .

Apply Now for the UNCCD COP13 Youth Forum 2017

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UNCCD COP13 Youth Forum!