Mentors and Mentees of the YWNGI Mentorship Programme at the 2023 EUNPDC Conference

The Annual Conference of the EU Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Consortium (EUNPDC), a major international event that, each year, gathers non-proliferation and disarmament officials and experts from around the world, was held in Brussels on 4 and 5 December 2023. The Conference was organised by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI).

Mentors and mentees of the 2023-2024 edition of the Young Women and Next Generation Initiative (YWNGI) Mentorship Programme were invited to attend the Conference as well as the EUNPDC Next Generation Workshop on 4 December 2023.

On the eve of the events, mentors and mentees had the opportunity to meet each other in person and participate in group activities to facilitate networking and promote a sense of community among participants of the Mentorship Programme.

At the end of the conference, mentors and mentees came together for an in-depth discussion of learnings and outcomes. The session also provided an opportunity for participants to give feedback on their experience with the Mentorship Programme, and to discuss future interests and activities.

Several former mentees also participated in the events, sharing their knowledge and expertise. Yitong Lin, 2022-2023 mentee, was a speaker at the Next Generation Workshop, while Veerle Moyson, 2022-2023 mentee, was invited by the organising committee of the Annual Conference to present her perspective as a young professional in the field. Current mentors also participated by moderating several panels and discussions.

Participation in the EUNPDC events gave mentors and mentees an opportunity to build upon their virtual engagement, strengthening the relations they have developed since the start of the programme in September 2023. It also allowed mentees to be exposed first-hand to discussions on non-proliferation and disarmament and to meet with leading and emerging experts in the field.

The YWNGI Mentorship Programme was established in 2021 by the VCDNP and IAI in the framework of the EUNPDC. Every year, the Programme pairs 20 young women (mentees), carefully chosen through a highly competitive selection process, with well-established experts (mentors) to engage in a mentoring relationship that envisions, among other things, regular video or in-person meetings. Mentees are also expected to attend conferences, seminars, and networking events. Dedicated funds through a Sponsorship Programme are offered to mentees to facilitate their in-person participation in different events in the field.

More information about the Young Women and Next Generation Initiative (YWNGI) and the Mentorship Programme can be found below.