Hiroshima, Japan - Twenty-six (26) youth in high schools from Hiroshima prefecture gathered at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Hiroshima Office on 29 June 2025 for the launch of the 2025 "UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme: Leaders for a New Era".
This two-month training programme, running from 29 June to 24 August 2025, aims to strengthen youth leadership in promoting a peaceful world. Through lectures and interactive discussions, participants will deepen their understanding of nuclear disarmament, peacebuilding, and peace education.
The training programme, implemented by UNITAR in partnership with the UNITAR Association, marks its 15th year since its launch in 2010. It has been continuously supported by the Hiroshima Prefectural Government.
Launch of the 2025 Youth Ambassador Programme
The 2025 UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme was officially launched on 29 June at the UNITAR Hiroshima Office. During the opening session, participants took part in lectures covering a broad range of topics including the current global landscape surrounding peace, human rights, and international law, as well as the status of nuclear disarmament and global efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons.
Participants also shared their motivations for joining the programme and their hopes for contributing to peace.
In the programme I hope to develop my understanding about the nuclear disarmament especially due to the rising tension through the events like President Trump striking the nuclear sites in Iran. - PMahiro Oride, articipant, 2025 UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme
Programme Schedule
Participants engage in a total of four lecture days on nuclear disarmament and peacebuilding through the end of July. These sessions are organized in collaboration with local partners, including ANT-Hiroshima, Kakuwaka Hiroshima, and Hiroshima University.
Along with the lectures, group work, and mentoring sessions, participants will work together to develop concrete proposals on nuclear disarmament and peacebuilding under three key pillars: 1) peace education, 2) hibakusha and civic engagement, and 3) human rights and international law.
On 6 August, the youth ambassadors will participate in an event that brings together youth voices from Hiroshima to propose pathways toward nuclear disarmament and global peace. They are expected to send messages from Hiroshima to the world by presenting their innovative and creative ideas for achieving sustainable peace. The youth ambassadors will also have an opportunity to engage with high-level experts and practitioners and to receive direct feedback from them.
The programme will conclude with a closing ceremony on 24 August.
About the UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme
The UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme started in 2010 with two high school students selected from within Hiroshima Prefecture, who conveyed the voices of Hiroshima's youth to the world. Leveraging the expertise of UNITAR, the programme aims to foster skills related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and global citizenship. It has since expanded to the Asia-Pacific region. For Japan, the UNITAR Hiroshima Youth Ambassador Programme has provided training to over 160 students, primarily high school students from Hiroshima Prefecture.
