On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) for signature and the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the former CTBTO Youth Group, the Group has been relaunched and rebranded as the CTBT Young Leaders (CYL) network, reflecting its renewed structure and mandate.
Following the relaunch, the publication of the Group’s Statute on Governance, Structure, and Direction provides the CYL network with a foundational framework for its governance, membership, structure, and activities, setting out the principles and arrangements that will guide its work and contribution to the broader CTBT community.
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 CYL 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 CYL 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 CYL, providing a clear foundation for its continued growth and enabling sustainable and inclusive youth participation in support of the CTBT and its objectives.
