Today marks an important milestone for the CTBTO Youth Group (CYG) with the publication of its Statute on Governance, Structure, and Direction, establishing the foundational framework that will guide the Group’s mission, governance, membership, and activities.
The Statute is the outcome of a collaborative process initiated through the establishment of the Impact Group during the Science and Technology Conference (#SnT2025). Bringing together young professionals from diverse regions and backgrounds, the Impact Group comprised Anastasiia Kulikova (Russia); Amanda Pereira (Brazil); Peter Oluwadanrilare Olagbaju (Nigeria); Anna Manuel (Canada); Sanya Malik (India/Canada); Lautaro Melcón (Argentina); Matthias Dietrich (Austria); Iuliia Huber (Russia); Anita Kefi (Austria); and Pablo Jose Perez Cañavate (Spain).
The initiative began with the “Roadmap to the Future”, through which the Impact Group presented its vision and recommendations for strengthening youth engagement to the CTBTO Executive Secretary during #SnT2025. Building on this foundation, the Group worked over a period of three months to translate these ideas into a comprehensive governance framework, in close consultation with the CTBTO Youth Team (Rajaa Gacem and Vanessa Canola, with the support of Federica Petrucci) and through further review and refinement by the CYG Steering Committee. This collaborative process reflects a shared commitment to establishing a strong, inclusive, and sustainable framework for meaningful youth engagement within the CTBT community.
The Statute sets out the principles and structures guiding the CYG as a voluntary, youth-led network dedicated to advancing awareness and understanding of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), fostering youth participation, and promoting capacity-building, knowledge exchange, and dialogue among the next generation of experts in nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, science, technology, and diplomacy.
The publication of the Statute marks a significant milestone in the development of the CYG, providing a clear foundation for its continued growth and enabling sustainable and inclusive youth participation in support of the CTBT and its objectives.
