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Published: 11 Apr 2023 652 views
As part of the Silk Roads Programme’s ongoing work to better understand the rich history and shared legacy and spirit of the Silk Roads, UNESCO, with the support of the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO, launched the ‘Silk Roads Youth Research Grant’ in 2021 within the framework of the Social and Human Sciences Sector. The third edition was launched on 8 March 2023.
Grant applicants are invited to address areas of academic study which relate to the shared heritage and plural identities of the Silk Roads, as well as its internal diversity, and potential in contemporary societies for creativity, intercultural dialogue, social cohesion, regional and international cooperation, and ultimately sustainable peace and development.
The vast trade networks of the Silk Roads carried more than just merchandise and precious commodities. In fact, the constant movement and mixing of populations brought about the widespread transmission of knowledge, ideas, cultures, and beliefs, which had a profound impact on the history and civilizations of the peoples living in these routes. Travellers along the Silk Roads were attracted not only by trade but also by the intellectual and cultural exchange taking place in cities along the Silk Roads, many of which developed into hubs of culture and learning. Science, arts, and literature, as well as crafts and technologies were thus shared and disseminated into societies along the lengths of these routes, and in this way, languages, religions, and cultures developed and influenced one another.
UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture. UNESCO's programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015. Political and economic arrangements of governments are not enough to secure the lasting and sincere support of the peoples. Peace must be founded upon dialogue and mutual understanding. Peace must be built upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of humanity. I... continue reading
| Application Deadline | 31 May 2023 |
| Country to study | |
| Type | Entrepreneurs |
| Sponsor | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) |
| Gender | Men and Women |
This initiative, which aims to mobilize young researchers for further study of the Silk Roads shared heritage, will award 12 research grants to young women and men under 35 years of age.
The panel will award 12 grants of USD 10,000 per research project based on the strengths of the proposed research and its potential contribution to furthering understanding of the interactions and exchanges taking place across the Silk Roads and the concrete elements resulting from them. The grant will be awarded in two separate instalments.
Postgraduate researchers from all countries aged 35 and younger at the time of application are eligible to apply for the grant. The proposed research may be carried out by an individual researcher or may be part of a group or collaborative project, however only one grant will be awarded per research project.
A broad array of research fields, including multidisciplinary and multidimensional proposals not limited to one specific region or chronology, are eligible. Proposed research may cover one or several themes associated with the Silk Roads shared heritage including, but not limited to:
However, proposed research must focus on the results of cultural interactions and exchanges, and within a given field must showcase the concrete resulting elements, be they tangible or intangible, as identifiable in two or more cultures along the Silk Roads and beyond. Research may be interdisciplinary in approach, and where possible, provide dynamic and novel ideas on the processes of exchange and transformation along the Silk Roads and its meaning and value in contemporary societies.
Shortlisted proposals will be required to submit a research timeline and budget template (to be provided). Proposals will be evaluated, and grants awarded, based on the assessment of a scientific panel comprised of a group of 9 renowned international experts and academics from around the world, working in various fields relating to the study of the Silk Roads.
Please ensure you have read the Applicant Guidelines carefully before downloading and completing the Submission Template detailing your research, its methods, expected outcomes and contribution to existing scholarship. Applicants will receive an email confirmation of their proposal submission.
For more details visit: UNESCO website.