LIMA, 24 April 2026 (Office for Disarmament Affairs) — On the occasion of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, through its Regional Centre in Latin America and the Caribbean and with the financial support of the Government of Japan, is inviting young leaders and storytellers from across the region to apply to the Latin American and the Caribbean edition of the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons.
The Youth Leader Fund is a global learning programme that empowers young leaders to contribute to nuclear disarmament through education, storytelling and community engagement. This regional edition, conducted entirely in Spanish, will bring together 25 participants aged 18 to 29 from across Latin America and the Caribbean, representing a diverse range of backgrounds, including communicators, journalists, artists and members of civil society or youth-led organizations.
Over nine months, from June 2026 to February 2027, participants will take part in online learning sessions and workshops to equip them with the knowledge, skills and networks needed to contribute to a more peaceful and secure future.
In 1967, States of Latin America and the Caribbean established the world’s first densely populated nuclear-weapon-free zone through the Treaty of Tlatelolco. That milestone continues to shape global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. In the framework of the 60th anniversary of the Treaty, the regional edition of the YLF aims to build on Tlatelolco’s legacy by supporting a new generation of young disarmament leaders.
“Young people in Latin America and the Caribbean have a powerful legacy to build on”, said Soledad Urruela, Director of UNLIREC. “From the Treaty of Tlatelolco to today’s global disarmament efforts, our region has helped shape a vision of a world without nuclear weapons. The Latin American and the Caribbean Edition of the YLF invites the next generation to carry that vision forward. At a time of acute nuclear risk, such efforts are needed as much as ever to get the world back on to the path to the elimination of nuclear weapons and end this existential threat to humanity.”
The initiative will culminate in a youth co-created “Festival of Peace” in Mexico City, held in coordination with the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean, the body responsible for monitoring compliance with the Treaty of Tlatelolco.
Applications will be accepted until 15 May, 2026. Interested applicants are encouraged to visit the programme page.
For more information, please contact Ms. Elena Batani: batani@unlirec.org.