NEW YORK, NY, October 11, 2021: The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth Initiative (SDSN Youth) announced the launch of the call for applications for the 2022 cohort of its Local Pathways Fellowship (LPF) program on Monday, October 11th at the Innovate4Cities 2021 conference.

This year's key theme at the Innovate4Cities conference is the Global Research and Action Agenda that LPF strongly supports through its 10-month training program, which upskills young innovators about sustainable cities and guides them through the development of a project to advance problem-solving in their cities.

The LPF includes an online course, a mentorship program, visibility opportunities, connections with experts from the industry, and a strong peer-to-peer network of young urban leaders from around the world. With four cohorts comprising 350 fellows from 180 different cities worldwide, the program has successfully grown into a robust knowledge sharing and city-level action network.

The Local Pathways Fellows are leading not only in-depth research projects but also change on the ground. They are showcasing what can be done when youth urbanists from all over the world connect. Projects range from pushing the development of food gardens in public schools in Cape Town to championing the digitalization of the public transport system database in Mexico.

“Our hope is that a greater number of young people become a part of the global conversation that will ultimately shape the world they will inherit,” said Ana Ynestrillas, Project Lead of the Local Pathways Fellowship program. “At LPF, we focus our efforts on building capacity among the youth to capitalize on their energy and creativity, but ultimately on their potential.”

The Fellowship is open to talented and passionate early-career professionals and students between 18 and 30 years old, interested in deepening and expanding their understanding of sustainable urban development. Successful applicants should have a minimum of one year of professional or academic experience in development practice, urban planning, community engagement, advocacy, architecture, or similar disciplines. The chosen fellows should be able to commit 4-6 hours a week to the program from February to November 2022.

The 2022 Local Pathways Fellowship applications will be accepted from October 11 until November 21, 2021, at 11:59 pm (Eastern Standard Time). The selected fellows will be notified by January 25, 2022, and the Fellowship begins on February 1, 2022.

Learn more and apply now!

For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact‍

Yulia Lesnichaya, Project Officer, Communications at yulia.lesnichaya@sdsnyouth.org

About Local Pathways Fellowship

The Local Pathways Fellowship (LPF) was launched in 2016 in Quito at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) intended to build on the momentum around the adoption of the New Urban Agenda.

Each year, LPF brings together a network of young thought leaders, urban planners, sustainability practitioners, researchers, and innovators from more than a hundred cities across the world to advance local dialogue, collaboration, and problem-solving around Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) to make cities and urban settlements “smart, fair and sustainable''.

The program, which is in its third year, offers a practically-oriented training program designed to enable young fellows to understand the process of “localizing” SDG 11 in the cities they represent and guide them through the development of their own projects.

The latest 2021 cohort consists of 100 young urban innovators from 80+ different cities around the globe.

About Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth

SDSN Youth is one of the world’s biggest networks of young leaders working together to accelerate solutions towards the Sustainable Development Goals. We connect young people to pathways of understanding and action - to shape a sustainable world for future generations. SDSN Youth was launched in 2015 by Professor Sachs, at the 5th meeting of the SDSN Leadership Council in Paris. Over the past 5 years, we have expanded rapidly, with 750 member organizations in 85 countries. Leveraging the work of partners in the UN, academia, civil society, business, and government - SDSN Youth has provided the training and resources to enable thousands of young people to make change. We lead a number of global and local initiatives on education advocacy for K-12; sustainable campuses; sustainable cities; and entrepreneurship. We believe that young people can make a difference in the world, and if we act now, we will create a better and more sustainable future for everyone.

For more, visit www.sdsnyouth.org