The Youth Leader Fund for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons (YLF) is a learning programme run by the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), funded by the Government of Japan. Its aim is to empower young people to contribute to nuclear disarmament through education, storytelling and community engagement.
The Latin America and the Caribbean edition of the programme, organised by the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development (UNLIREC), will bring together 25 young people aged 18 to 29 from across the region for an entirely Spanish-language edition.
The initiative builds on the region’s historic legacy in disarmament and non-proliferation, in particular the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which established the first nuclear-weapon-free zone in a densely populated region in 1967. On the occasion of its 60th anniversary, the regional edition of the programme seeks to inspire a new generation to continue and strengthen this commitment.
The regional edition of the YLF offers participants:
- Training in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, with a particular focus on the role of victims of nuclear explosions, as well as on the contribution of countries in the region to promoting a culture of peace and disarmament at the global level.
- Training in storytelling techniques aimed at sharing disarmament-related stories and fostering greater awareness and commitment to peace.
- The opportunity to co-organise, together with UNLIREC, a “Peace and Disarmament Festival” in Mexico City. The festival will take place in February 2027, marking the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and it aims to renew youth’s commitments to peace and disarmament.
The “Peace and Disarmament Festival” will be held in coordination with the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL).
For any questions or further information, please email: youth@unlirec.org.
For more information on the global editions of the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons, please refer to the project webpage here.
