UNESCO has selected 50 emerging leaders from 38 countries for a programme on human connection and dialogue in the age of AI. The second Youth for Peace: UNESCO Intercultural Leadership Programme is scheduled to open on 26 October. It will combine mentoring, training and community projects examining how technology affects social cohesion, trust and peace.[1]
An international jury of 26 chose the cohort from 6,786 applicants. Participants are aged 25–45, and 52% are women. They come from all world regions and work across entrepreneurship, research, policymaking, public administration and civil society, including AI governance, digital policy and education.[1]
From training to a community project
Participants will receive specialised training and masterclasses alongside mentoring. Once a project is approved, each grantee will receive $10,000 to carry out an intercultural-dialogue initiative in their community. The funding is conditional on approval; selection for the cohort is not evidence that the money has already been paid or a project completed.[1]
The first edition focused on collaboration for a shared future. This edition concentrates on dialogue in an environment increasingly shaped by AI. Its emphasis is on how communities respond to the technology’s effects, rather than on training every participant to build an AI system.[1]
The programme is intended to conclude with a Global Youth Dialogue for Peace in China, where participants will share their experience with policymakers. An alumni network will maintain connections after the programme ends. UNESCO identifies the Kingold Group as its supporter.[1]
The community projects are the point at which the international cohort can reach beyond its selected members. Their eventual accounts should show which communities took part, what they tried and what changed. The announcement establishes the participants, support and funding mechanism; the local work is still ahead.[1]
Sources & further reading
- 50 emerging leaders selected to foster dialogue and inclusion in the Age of AI UNESCO · 21 Oct 2026 · Accessed 26 Oct 2026