In March 2026, UNU Paris marked the first anniversary of the UNU Hub “Future of Learning with Youth” (FLY), born from the collaboration between the Learning Planet Institute (LPI) and UNU, led by UNU-FLORES and supported by the UNU Paris Office.
The creation of this new Hub was motivated by a shared conviction between LPI and UNU-FLORES: involving young people in the construction of their own education amid global challenges.
Strengthening links across Paris, UNU and the wider UN system
The new Hub positions Paris as a strategic node at the intersection of global youth engagement and collaboration, fostering connections between LPI with UNU, notably its Paris Office, UNU-FLORES in Dresden, the Rectorate in Tokyo and the UN Youth Office in New York through a range of initiatives.
The partnership between LPI and UNU-FLORES exemplifies a strategic effort to advance joint research on sustainability, particularly through the “Resource Nexus” approach. In 2025, LPI and UNU-FLORES submitted a joint funding proposal and produced the RE-ACT podcast, exploring transformations in learning through an interdisciplinary lens.
In this first year, the collaboration began to extend well beyond Paris: several discussions were held at UNU headquarters in Tokyo, notably during a high-level dialogue in August 2025 that brought together LPI co-founder François Taddei and UNU Rector Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala. Their exchanges focused on rethinking education to better address the role of youth in tackling global challenges, and were further enriched through engagement with Felipe Paullier, Assistant Secretary-General for the United Nations Office on Youth.
Programmes and initiatives developed over the first year
Moreover, the anniversary highlights UNU Hub FLY’s emergence as a global platform for youth co-creation through its own programmes.
Among these, the Learning Planet Youth Design Challenge (2024–2026) has emerged as a significant initiative empowering young people to develop solutions to climate, social, and mental health challenges, engaging thousands of participants across more than 100 countries.
Other programmes, such as the “In the MOOD for Climate Action” pilot and the Global Student Forum (2025–2026), also contribute to amplifying youth voices within international governance.
