The UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Forum holding at The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 3-12 September 2023 is calling for applications. The program is designed to foster intercultural learning and exchange by bringing together young people, educators, and heritage experts from different parts of the world.
With the theme, “Looking Ahead: The Next 50 Years of Protecting Natural and Cultural Heritage”, the program will highlight the crucial role of youth in the heritage ecosystem; and to pave the way for the next generation of heritage professionals, giving voice to their unique approaches to heritage management.
Programme Background
The UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Fora are among the flagship activities of the World Heritage Education Programme, designed to foster intercultural learning and exchange by bringing together young people, educators, and heritage experts from different parts of the world to discover new roles for themselves in heritage conservation. They allow the young professionals to gain local insights on heritage management from the experience of the host country and through site visits to World Heritage properties, and also provide an opportunity for them to meet with the members of the World Heritage Committee and its Advisory Bodies
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Programme Timeline
This is an initial outline of the Forum’s programme. Updates on the programme as well as the final programme will be uploaded on the Forum webpage in due course.
- 2 September 2023: Arrival Day
- 3 September 2023: Opening of the Forum and Introductions
- 4 – 8 September 2023: Thematic discussions and site visit to the Al-Ahsa Oasis
- 9 September 2023: Youth Model and Committee Meeting Simulation
- 10 September 2023: Drafting of the Youth Declaration
- 11 September 2023: Presentation of the Forum outcomes to the Extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee
- 12 September 2023: Interaction with the participants of the Site Managers’ Forum and the closing of the Forum
Eligible Applicants
Participants of the UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2023 are expected to be:
- Aged between 23 and 32 years.
- Experienced in one of these fields: World Heritage, conservation, archaeology, architecture, conservation, urban planning & regeneration, restoration, art history, tourism, climate change, and digital technology.
- Motivated and committed to implementing the outcomes of the Forum in their respective countries.
- Committed to enhancing community engagement in the management of World Heritage properties.
- Available for the entire duration of the Forum.
- Proficient in English, as the Forum will be conducted entirely in English.
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Application and Selection Procedure
- 30 participants will be selected for the UNESCO World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2023 through the process of an open call.
- All interested candidates who wish to apply for participation in the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum should fill in and submit the online application form.
- Please note that the application form must be completed only in Applications submitted in other languages will not be considered.
- In addition to education and background information, candidates are also required to submit their CV and a copy of their passport size photo.
The deadline for submitting the applications is 4 June 2023. The selected applicants will be informed by email.
