Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology

December 19, 2023
Japanese

The 100 participants of the first cohort of “the Youth Leader Fund for a World without Nuclear Weapons” learning programme have now been selected, and the official start of the learning programme took place with an online event on December 18 under the auspices of the United Nations (UN). Prime Minister Kishida announced the launch of the Fund in his speech at the 10th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in August last year, and the Japanese Government has contributed 10 million US dollars (1.08 billion Japanese yen) to the UN.

  1. At the launch of the programme, Prime Minister Kishida delivered a video message. Its summary is as follows:
    1. I would like to congratulate all those who have been selected to be part of this first cohort amongst the numerous applicants from all over the world. No matter how difficult the path to a world without nuclear weapons may be, we should not stop our steps. Now is the time when we need the power of young people like you, the bearers of our future.
    2. You have been selected from more than 60 countries around the world. I hope that you, as future leaders, will acquire sufficient knowledge about nuclear disarmament and also create a global network through this programme. I also hope that those who visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the future will see and feel the realities of nuclear weapons use with their own eyes and hearts, and convey this to the world.
    3. As this programme will run for a total of eight years, I hope that you will show strong leadership as mentors for the second cohort of this programme, for subsequent cohorts and for the future, in working towards a world without nuclear weapons.
  2. At the launch event, participants also heard a message from the UN Secretary-General António Guterres, which was delivered by Mr. Adedeji Ebo, Officer-in-Charge, Director and Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs. UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu also sent a video message. From Japan, in addition to Prime Minister Kishida’s video message, H.E. Ms. SHINO Mitsuko, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Japan to the UN, delivered opening remarks.
  3. The 100 participants of the first cohort were selected from more than 2,000 applicants and are between the ages of 18 and 29 from 63 countries, including both nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states, with a wide range of backgrounds including government, international organizations, civil society, and academia.
  4. Prime Minister Kishida's video message can be accessed on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ YouTube channel below.
    Prime Minister Kishida's video message (YouTube) Open a New Window
(Reference1) Appendix (PDF)

Video message by Prime Minister Kishida (Japanese (PDF) Open a New Window / English (PDF) Open a New Window)

(Reference2) Summary of the Programme of “Youth Leader Fund for a World Without Nuclear Weapons”
  1. This Fund was announced by Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio at the 10th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in August 2022 as a pillar of the “Hiroshima Action Plan”. In his speech, the Prime Minister announced Japan’s intention to contribute ten million US dollars towards the UN to establish this new initiative. The UN launched the call for applications for participants in May of this year.
  2. The programme will start in 2023 and culminate in 2030 – a year marked by the 85th year from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings and the 60th anniversary of the entry into force of the NPT.
    Over the course of two years, the selected participants will receive training in general principles of nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and arms control through online courses, with a selected cohort going on a week-long in-person study tour to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
    Upon completion of the programme, the alumni will play a key role in training and mentoring the next cohort of interested young nuclear disarmament advocates.
    Following the 2023 – 2024 inaugural training programme under the Youth Leader Fund, three more rounds of similar trainings will be conducted, consolidating a worldwide network of talented future leaders with the shared goal towards the elimination of nuclear weapons.

Related Links

Back to Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Technology