We are excited to announce a call for applications for our very first educational/networking campaign – Youth Hotline. However connected the world may seem, we cannot but notice a frightening trend – the erosion of trust and disappearance of common spaces for the Russian and American disarmament advocates, especially among the young people.
What is the campaign about?
Keeping in mind that personal connections matter the most, we are launching our version of the famous ‘nuclear hotline’ established between the then USSR and the United States to put today’s young people, leaders of tomorrow, at the forefront of the nuclear disarmament discussions between Russia and the US. With the campaign, we seek to propose a novel interpretation of the famous hotline that in the 21st century goes beyond the cooperation between the two superpowers and requires all hands on deck.
We look to bring together 21 young people who share the belief that disarmament efforts taken by Russia and the United States are critical to ridding the world of nuclear weapons. Our goal is to foster continuous knowledge exchange and bridge the trust gap between the two nations concerning nuclear disarmament by creating an online platform for a direct informal dialogue between young people from all over the world, especially those from Russia and the United States.
What activities does the campaign include?
By joining Youth Hotline you will:
- participate in 4 online webinars with leading experts from Russia and the US, discussing current arms control issues, the NPT regime, humanitarian effects of nuclear testing, and the future of the TPNW through the lens of the Russia-US relations;
- hear from experts in the disarmament field as well as young professionals who are shaping the future of the disarmament movement;
- work on a creative group project to educate the public about the significance of nuclear disarmament between Russia-US for the world and receive mentorship from the Youth Fusion team;
- network with the like-minded and driven change-makers from Russia, the U.S., and beyond in a closed chat to build trust and momentum for further nuclear disarmament;
- become a part of our network to be the first to find out about relevant job opportunities, scholarships, and events happening in the field.
What is the timeline for the campaign?
- We expect to hold our welcome webinar for the campaign participants in the week of May 22-May 28, 2023.
- Every Wednesday between 31 May – 21 June we will welcome an expert for an hour-long webinar and Q&A session to unpack some of the most pressing issues around Russia-US cooperation, arms control, nuclear testing, and more!
- The educational part will be followed by small group projects (June-July) – your chance to make an impact by creating educational material in any form (digital or physical) to inform the public about the significance of Russian-American cooperation for further nuclear disarmament. You won’t be alone in this: Youth Fusion members will be there for you to provide mentorship and organize weekly check-ins.
- The campaign does not end there! We are hoping to deliver many more networking events, and educational workshops for the campaign participants this Fall and keep the hotline open at all times.
Who is eligible to participate?
We are opening 21 scholarship seats for young professionals interested in Russian-American relations, disarmament, and humanitarian action who are motivated and looking for opportunities to expand their network while learning and educating others.
Students and young professionals of any nationality (individuals from Russia and the United States are encouraged to apply).
Submit your application before 21 May 2023 23:59 CET.
For questions please email Ivan at ivan@pnnd.org