Launch of the 2023 Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Mentorship Programme

On 20 September 2023, the VCDNP and the International Affairs Institute (IAI), as part of the Young Women and Next Generation Initiative (YWNGI), launched the 3^rd edition of the Young Women in Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (YWNPD) Mentorship Programme.

Established in 2021 within the framework of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC), the Mentorship Programme pairs 20 young women (mentees), carefully chosen through a highly competitive selection process, with senior officials and experts (mentors) for a mentoring experience with regular virtual or in-person meetings. Mentees are also expected to attend conferences, seminars, social events, and other activities, to benefit from networking and career opportunities.

The launch event was opened by VCDNP Executive Director Elena Sokova and IAI Executive Vice-President Ettore Greco, who welcomed the new cohort and congratulated mentees for having been selected from hundreds of exceptional applicants.

Three former mentees - Selma Mustafić, Elif Erginyavuz, and Kincső Vizi - and two-time mentor Rebecca Jovin, Chief of the Vienna Office of the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA), shared their personal experiences during the previous editions of the programme.

Federica Dall’Arche, Senior Research Associate at the VCDNP, and Paola Tessari, Senior Researcher at IAI, presented an overview of the programme, discussing expectations and opportunities for mentors and mentees, as well as the upcoming activities. Karolina Proprentner, Office and Events Manager at the VCDNP, introduced the new cohort to the spotlight campaign, which will introduce mentees to the non-proliferation and disarmament field on social media. Manuel Herrera, Senior Researcher at IAI, shared information about the upcoming EUNPDC Annual Conference, which mentors and mentees are invited to attend.

In the following round of introductions, organisers, mentees, and mentors learned about their respective backgrounds, interests, and expectations of the programme.

The VCDNP and IAI look forward to working with this bright and motivated cohort of mentees. The organisers express their gratitude to the European Union for funding this project and to new and returning mentors for joining the 2023 edition of the programme.