Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT) – Opportunities For Africans

Application Deadline: June 1st 2014

What: 2014 UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Youth Conference in Japan!
Whom: Young people between the ages of 18 and 35 years old, involved in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
Where: Aichi-Nagoya, Okayama City, Japan
When: 10-12 November 2014,

Are you between 18 and 35 years old? Are you involved in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? Do you have success stories and innovative ESD initiatives you could share? Would you like to meet and collaborate with other ESD youth leaders from around the world? Do you want to add your voice to youth-focused recommendations that will be presented at the World Conference on ESD?

The UNESCO ESD Youth Conference will bring together 50 young ESD leaders from around the world in Okayama City, Japan on 7 November 2014.

As a Youth Conference participant you will have an opportunity to exchange your ideas and experiences with peers. You will be able to discuss innovative approaches to ESD and ways to promote young people’s contribution and further involvement in the global ESD movement. And you will help elaborate commitments to future ESD actions.

Conference participants will also be involved in developing recommendations for the UNESCO World Conference on ESD, which will take place in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan from 10-12 November 2014. All Youth Conference participants will be invited to take part in the World Conference.

The Youth Conference is being organized by UNESCO, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT), the Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, the City of Okayama and The Goi Peace Foundation.

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible for participation in the UNESCO ESD Youth Conference, you must:

1)Be between 18-35 years of age as of 1 June 2014.

2)Have demonstrated active engagement in the field of Education for Sustainable Development.

3)Have a good command of English, and be able to actively participate in conference discussions.

4) Be able to attend the full schedule of events in Japan from 6-13 November 2014 (or at least through 11 November), and to take part in the prior online consultations in September-October 2014 to prepare for Youth Conference discussions and input to the World Conference

Travel Sponsorship

Successful applicants will receive travel sponsorship. Organizers will provide roundtrip air tickets between the participant’s nearest airport and Japan, as well as accommodation, meals and transportation within Japan. Please note that participants are responsible for their domestic transportation (from their home to the nearest airport), visa application, traveler’s insurance, and incidental expenses during their stay in Japan.

How to apply

Applicants must submit the following documents to be considered:

1) Application form : Please complete the Application Form in English. The document file must be saved in Microsoft Word format with filename “LAST NAME_First Name_Country Name.docx” (in this format).

Download Application Form at: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/youthconference

2) Recommendation letter: A letter from a head or officer of an ESD/youth-related organization or institution stating the applicant’s engagement and relevant competency in ESD. The letter must be written in English and include contact information of the signatory (in any format, no longer than one page).

Please submit your application by email to [email protected] with the subject line “LAST NAME_First Name_Country Name.docx” (in this format).

Download the Application Form

For More Information:

VIsit the Official Webpage of the UNESCO Education for Sustainable Development Youth Conference