The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) organized the Peace Fellows Programme (PFP) from February 14 to 18, 2022. Started in 2020, this short-term, selective program provides a unique opportunity for young scholars to observe the long-lasting effects of war, the local realities of the global discourse on peace, and the recent developments for peace in the globe, with the purpose of building of the capacity of youth to effectively engage peace issues.
This year, the PFP invited 28 Peace Fellows from 12 countries who demonstrated interest in the UN’s peace building work and SDG 16+, especially in peace building efforts in the North East Asian region. The Peace Fellows got to directly interact with key stakeholders of peace efforts in the Korean peninsula, such as UN and regional experts, Korean government representatives, civil society advocates in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the necessary but long road to peace. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the PFP was held online, consisting of lectures, group discussions, an VR tour, a metaverse UN Headquarters, and resolution writing. There was also a one-day field trip to the De-militarized Zone for the participants living in Seoul.
The PFP provided exclusive lectures on peace recorded in cooperation with partnership organizations including Unikorea Foundation, UNODA, UNPKO, Hanns Seidel Stiftung Foundation, Korean National Commission for UNESCO, Institute for Peace and Unification Studies and Institute for Health and Unification Studies of Seoul National University, National Institute for Unification Education, Gaeseong Industrial District Foundation, University of North Korean Studies.
Along with 44 former Peace Fellows from 18 countries who participated in the progamme in 2020 and 2021, the PFP also discussed peace agendas in Myanmar, Afghanistan, and Ukraine. The PFP will continue to provide a global network for the Peace Fellows to facilitate a constructive platform for youth to take action for peace.
