20 February 2026 – Today marks the launch of a new collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA). The initiative, the Global Model FAO, is the first of its kind and will engage high school and university students from around the world in several youth-led simulations of this specialized United Nations agency.
The simulations, focused on FAO’s mandate of ensuring food security and nutrition for all, will be managed by staff from the award-winning WFUNA International Model UN (WIMUN). The Global Model FAO will advance FAO’s mission by empowering youth to understand and address critical issues in agrifood systems. Through youth-led simulations supplemented by interactions with FAO experts, youth will address a broad range of policy questions drawn from FAO’s mandate and programme of work, and develop negotiated outcomes that reflect the priorities, challenges and opportunities facing global agrifood systems.
Recognizing the contributions that youth are already making to solutions for global food security, the Global Model FAO will provide them with the tools and hands-on experience they need to participate in national and international decision-making processes.
“FAO research demonstrates that youth can move food forward as agents of change in agrifood systems, but their visibility and meaningful participation in policymaking spaces needs to be strengthened. This is something FAO seeks to address through its work on the ground with rural young people, its youth assembly and national youth chapters. FAO is delighted to team up with WFUNA on the Global Model FAO as a new way to empower youth with knowledge and experience, and prepare them as future leaders in the transformation towards sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems.” – Lauren Phillips, Director of FAO Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division.
“WFUNA is honoured to join together with the Food and Agricultural Organization to organize this unique experience for youth around the world,” said Secretary-General of WFUNA, Aziel-Philippos Goulandris. “To quote Nelson Mandela: Poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the action of human beings.” The Global Model FAO aims to increase the participation of youth in the work of the FAO which is critical to achieving its goals.”
The programme is open to all interested high school and university students, regardless of their field of study. The Global Model FAO will offer scholarships to students from lower- and middle-income countries so that the simulations will be both geographically and socio-economically diverse.
For further information contact:
William Yotive
Senior Education Officer
WFUNA International Model UN (WIMUN)
Email: [email protected]
Kaori Abe
Head of Partnerships Unit
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Email: [email protected]
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