Apply now to become a UN Youth Champion for Environment and Peace!

UN Youth Champions for Environment and Peace, by the UN in Cyprus together with the British Council

As climate change is becoming increasingly visible in our daily lives, and unsustainable development in the region affects us individually, nationally and across borders, we look to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for guidance and  seek to engage dynamic young Cypriots to undertake an exciting two week learning journey with us. The programme is organised by the UN in Cyprus, in collaboration with the British Council through the COOPower project and it offers an enriched programme with a focus on Environmental Peacebuilding and Social Entrepreneurship.  Together with experts and mentors from Cyprus and abroad, participants will learn about their common island’s environmental challenges and develop ideas for social enterprises/cooperatives to address environmental problems that might benefit both people and the planet. 

If you are a Cypriot aged 18-25 and like the sound of this, we would like to hear from you! The programme will run from Monday, 30 August to Saturday, 11 September and the deadline for applications is 5 July.

The programme is co-funded by the European Union.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Aged 18-25, from any community living in Cyprus.
  • A strong will to make a significant contribution towards a peaceful and sustainable future on the island.
  • Commitment and motivation to actively participate throughout the two week intensive programme, including the presentations/taught sessions and group work that will require additional hours of work on developing a social enterprise/cooperative with the help of mentors.
  • Good communication skills and teamwork in an intercultural environment.
  • Fluency in English, with knowledge of either Greek or Turkish.
  • A wish to develop interpersonal relations with participants from all communities of Cyprus.
  • A desire to find out more about the UN and what the UN does in Cyprus.

We strive for gender diversity and equal representation among youth from all communities living in Cyprus. We welcome applications from persons studying abroad and based on availability and relevant interest, spots may be available for persons over 25 years old.

What to expect

An online programme that will run five days a week for two weeks, comprised of online mandatory sessions and group work sessions per day. Consistent participation throughout the programme is required.

Mandatory online sessions will focus on joint learning with subject matter experts. Each session will last for around 90 minutes and will take place online. We will request that all participants keep their cameras turned on throughout these sessions.

Group work sessions is your opportunity to develop a novel idea for a Green Social Enterprise/Cooperative together with other young Cypriots, supported by an expert mentor. The length of these session will vary depending on each groups’ specific needs but will likely last one to two hours per day.

Applicants may be contacted for an interview. We aim to notify successful applicants by 7 July. Selected participants will receive an overview of the main programme once they’re selected. A more detailed programme will be distributed around two weeks before the programme begins. Please be aware that that some programme points may be subject to change.

If Covid-19 measures allow, there will also be a full day study visit during the first weekend of the programme and a social gathering.

For more information, please contact UNFICYP at unficyp-youthchampions@un.org.