UNESCO CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2021: SILK ROADS YOUTH RESEARCH GRANT ($10,000)

admin March 16, 2021

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Apply for the Silk Roads Youth Research Grant

The call for proposals of the Silk Roads Youth Research Grant is now open, we invite you to read the sections below for more detailed information.

Deadline: 18 April 2021

About the Silk Roads Youth Research Grant

Reinforcing the Capacity and Contribution of Young Researchers to the Silk Roads “Silk Roads Youth Research Grant”

As part of the Silk Roads and MOST Programmes 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, has launched the ‘Silk Roads Youth Research Grant’ within the framework of the Social and Human Sciences Sector. This new 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.

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.

What fields of Silk Roads Research Grant are eligible?

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 any of a number of themes associated with the Silk Roads shared heritage including, but not limited to:

Science and Technology
Traditional Knowhow and Craftsmanship
Religion and Spirituality
Language and Literature
Arts and Music
Traditional Sports and Games

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.

Read the full Applicant Guidelines here

What are silk Roads

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 Eurasian peoples. 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.

Please see map here

Who is eligible to apply for the youth research grant?

Postgraduate researchers 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.

Evaluation of Proposals

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

What is the youth research grant amount (value)?

The panel will award the 12 grants valued at 10,000 USD 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.

Submit your Research Proposal

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 for the Youth Research Grant will receive an email confirmation of their proposal submission.

Proposals should be submitted in English and sent by e-mail to: [email protected]