UNIDIR Global Disarmament Essay Competition

General Awareness Raising of Disarmament Issues Among Next Generations: Global Disarmament Essay Competition

The UN Secretary-General’s “Securing our Common Future: An Agenda for Disarmament”, highlighted that while the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development took an important step towards articulating how arms control, peace and security contribute to development”, there is a lot that remains to be done “in order to bring the historical relationship between disarmament and development back to the forefront of international consciousness”.

To contribute to this effort, the first UNIDIR Youth Global Disarmament Essay competition was held in 2022. The initiative invited students and young professionals aged between 18 and 29 years to prepare and submit an original essay of no more than 2,000 words on the theme of “the disarmament, security, and development nexus, including with reference to the Secretary-General’s Disarmament Agenda entitled ‘Securing Our Common Future’ and the United Nations General Assembly resolution on Youth, Disarmament and Non-proliferation (A/RES/76/45). Entries explored the following areas:

  • Disarmament, economic growth and inequalities.
  • Disarmament for sustainable cities.
  • Innovative disarmament efforts in the light of 21st century’s environmental challenges.
  • Gender mainstreaming for sustainable disarmament and development.

Applicants were invited to draw on their personal experience, whether at the local, national, regional, or international level. All papers were reviewed anonymously on the basis of their originality, intellectual rigor, relevance to the theme of the competition, and clarity of expression.

Winners were announced on 15 July 2022.

Winners

The top 5 essays of UNIDIR’s Disarmament Essay Competition have been now selected and communicated. They are:

1.    Layal Alghoozi
2.    Ludovica Castelli
3.    Zahra Bel Arache
4.    André Duffles Aranegas
5.    Zino Roos

UNIDIR would like to thank all the young participants for contributing to the discussion on the disarmament, development and security nexus and sharing their insights with us.

Prizes

The best essays were awarded the following prizes:

  • The top essay writer was offered the opportunity to be a non-residential Young Leader Fellow at UNIDIR. The Young Leader Fellow worked with a UNIDIR expert during a week-long all-expenses paid trip to Geneva to prepare and deliver a presentation, based on their winning essay, during an awards ceremony at the at the UN HQ in Geneva. Trip expenses were determined based on individual circumstances and consistent with UNIDIR rules and regulations.
  • The second and third-place essay writers were offered the opportunity to be a non-residential Young Leader Fellow at UNIDIR. The Young Leader Fellow worked with a UNIDIR expert online to prepare and deliver a presentation, based on their winning essay, during an awards ceremony at the UN HQ in Geneva.
  • The five-best essays were published online as part of UNIDIR’s series of Youth Commentaries, promoted in a dedicated section on its website, through social media and UNIDIR’s research networks.
  • The five-best essays were also shared as background reading for participants involved in UNIDIR’s Model United Nations First Committee simulation.
  • In addition, the five finalists received a certificate signed by the Director of UNIDIR and by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea in Geneva.