On 18 March 2025, the UNODA Vienna Office, in partnership with the Permanent Mission of the Kyrgyz Republic to the United Nations in Vienna, hosted an interactive panel discussion titled “Youth as Agents of Change: Empowering young people to achieve disarmament goals.” This edition of the Vienna Conversation Series commemorated the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness (IDDNPA), observed annually on 5 March. The event highlighted the critical role young people can play in achieving disarmament goals, including in connection with two of UNODA’s flagship youth empowerment programmes, the Youth Leader Fund for a World Without Nuclear Weapons and the Youth4Biosecurity Fellowship.  

The panel featured three outstanding young leaders and professionals in the disarmament field, who shared their experiences participating in UNODA’s programmes and advocating for disarmament. Attendees also had the opportunity to engage directly with the panelists and UNODA staff during an interactive Q&A session.