PRESS RELEASE

Eight young professionals from Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean to begin immersive experience in January.

New York, 13 December 2021 – The President of the 76th session of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid, today announced the inaugural recipients of his Harnessing Opportunities for Promoting Empowerment of Youth Fellowship (PGA’s Fellowship for HOPE).

“Congratulations to the exemplary young women and men who will train under this Fellowship,” President Abdulla Shahid said. “These are the future diplomats who will lead the international community in finding solutions to the challenges of the 21st Century.”

An independent three-member selection panel, consisting of one Member State, a representative of the UN System, and a representative from a Civil Society Organization, assessed the candidates’ applications, and selected the following eight individuals:

Mr. Javier D. M. Spencer, Antigua and Barbuda

Ms. Jigme Wangmo, Bhutan

Ms. Diedra Sealey, Grenada

Mr. Mohamed Fofana, Guinea

Mr. Mahathilath Phongsavath, Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Ms. Jaala Jeremiah, Nauru

Ms. Kamukama Stella, Uganda

Ms. Margaret Tatenda Chikawa, Zimbabwe

The independent panel made its decision based on an agreed-upon criteria, balancing gender and regional representation. Preference was given to young diplomats and civil servants from underrepresented countries, particularly from the least developed countries, the landlocked developing countries and small island developing states.

The Fellows will be attached on a rotation basis with the teams in the Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA) – Peace & Security; Human Rights; Humanitarian; Sustainable Development; Reform, Legal & Budget; and Communications. Through their work in the Office of the PGA, the Fellows will gain knowledge and understanding of the United Nations system, ranging from the Secretariat to United Nations funds and programmes, specialized agencies, and other entities and bodies.

The PGA’s Fellowship for HOPE developed in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) will allow the Fellows to garner a deeper understanding of issues relevant to the world today, from climate change to COVID-19, from peace and security, to human rights and gender equality.

All costs associated with relocation, housing and work will be covered by the Member State funded Fellowship Programme.

The Fellowship will commence on Monday, 10 January 2022, and will last until the end of the 76th session in September 2022.

For questions about the Fellowship, please contact Mr. Peter Faiz, Chief of Administration, OPGA76 at faiz@un.org.