named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
16+ Forum
Youth-focused initiative co-organized with UNA-Georgia to engage young leaders in dialogue on global governance and the SDGs
Executive Leadership Programs
Training and capacity-building initiatives for leaders of UN Associations worldwide
WFUNA Plenary Assembly
Biennial global gathering of member United Nations Associations to set strategic direction, elect leadership, and share best practices
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Youth Global Leadership & Model UN Programs 5 activities
- Conducts youth seminars on global citizenshipOrganizes Youth Seminars to build capacity among young global citizens and sustainable development ambassadors, featuring workshops on project management, the Sustainable Development Goals, and leadership skills.
- Develops resources for youth delegate programsCreated a handbook to support youth in establishing national Youth Delegate Programs to the United Nations, promoting institutionalized youth participation in multilateral diplomacy.
- Organizes Global Model UN conferencesManages and implements the WFUNA International Model UN (WIMUN) and other Global Model UN conferences in cities including New York, Geneva, Rome, and Singapore, offering accurate simulations of UN processes for high school and university students from six continents.
- Runs Global Model WHO programLeads the Global Model WHO, a student-led simulation of the World Health Assembly for high school and university students, including multi-day conferences such as Global Model WHO 2024 and extension programs with formal certification.
- Trains youth and civil society participants globallyHas trained over 15,000 participants worldwide through its Training Programs at the UN, engaging thousands of students annually with over 100 UN experts in areas including global citizenship, sustainable development, and inclusive societies.
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Human Rights & Peace Education Curriculum 2 activities
- Delivers online and in-person educational training programsProvides structured educational programs including 24 hours of online training over four weeks through the Global UN Spotlight Training Program, reaching 450 graduates, and develops curricula for youth-focused global citizenship, sustainable development, and multilateral diplomacy education.
- Implements Human Rights in Action programOperates a six-month Human Rights in Action (HRA) program that includes a week-long training at UN Headquarters in Geneva on human rights systems and project management, followed by implementation of participant-designed community projects with technical support from WFUNA.
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Advises youth engagement through Youth Advisory CouncilOperates a Youth Advisory Council composed of nine members from United Nations Associations and Youth Associations to advise on youth-related strategies and initiatives.
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Leadership & Policy Dialogue Forums 1 activity
- Hosts Civil Society Dialogues with UN Security CouncilConvenes monthly Civil Society Dialogues with rotating Presidents of the UN Security Council, hosts in-person events at UN Headquarters in New York, provides livestream access via UN Web TV, and has convened inaugural UN Security Council Election Debates and Exit Briefings to increase transparency and civil society access.
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Global Sustainability Convenings & Forums 1 activity
- Organizes 16+ Forum Showcases for SDG 16+Hosts international 16+ Forum Showcases in locations including Tbilisi, Freetown, and Díli, bringing together hundreds of participants from dozens of countries to advance peaceful, just, and inclusive societies through policy and practice engagement on SDG 16+.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Recognizes youth leaders committed to UN valuesRecognizes exceptional individuals aged 15–29 from United Nations Associations and Youth Associations for their commitment to UN values and the Sustainable Development Goals.
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Regional Chapter Network Support 1 activity
- Supports a global network of United Nations AssociationsProvides coordination and capacity-building support to over 100 national United Nations Associations and their constituents, advancing United Nations principles and programs through a structured global membership network.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Operates global secretariat officesMaintains operational secretariat offices in New York and Geneva to manage international programs and administrative functions.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$1.78M
Contributions & grants$385K22%
Program service revenue$1.35M76%
Investment income$20%
Other revenue$37K
expenses
Total expenses$2.00M
Program expenses65%
Admin / overhead29%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$758K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$458K
Cash$292K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.09M
Net assets$-633K
Liquid reserves1.8 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2023 · YoY revenue +31.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| AZIEL PHILIPPOS GOULANDRIS | SECRETARY GENERAL | 40 | $127K |
board members · 16
- ALI KIYAEI — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- ANNELIE BORJESSON — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- CATHARINA BU — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- HO JIN-LEE — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- HU WENLI — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- JOY DUNSHEATH — VICE-CHAIR OF EXECUTIVE CO
- KENETH LUIS — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- KRISTI CINA — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- NORMA GOICOCHEA ESTENOZ — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- RAY BRATHWAITE — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- REGINALD MUNISI — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- RICHARD BAGUMA — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- ROBERT P HILTY — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- RUBNA DAUREEAWO — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
- SURESH SRIVASTAVA — VICE-CHAIR OF EXECUTIVE CO
- TEONA LEBANIDZE — EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER
relationships · 37
Who they work with
- Australia Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Boston Congress of Public Health Partner — Interned at BCPH
- CERN Partner — Collaborative relationship through staff experience and likely program coordination
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partner — Collaborates through staff fellowship and public health advocacy
- Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases Partner — Worked with CVPD during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic
- Costa Rica Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Czech Republic Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Denmark Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- European Union Government — Institutional connection through prior staff engagement
- Food and Agriculture Organization Partner — Co-organizes the Global Model FAO conference at FAO Headquarters in Rome.
- Georgia Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security Coalition — Active member of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security, contributing to global youth engagement efforts.
- Guatemala Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Office of High Commission for Human Rights Partner — Collaborates on the Human Rights in Action program to train youth activists.
- Peru Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Republic of Korea Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Republic of Korea Navy Partner — Connection through former service of staff member supporting diplomatic and protocol functions
- Sierra Leone Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Sweden Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- ThinkBank (UNTPOC) Partner — Implementing partner for the Global UN Spotlight program launched in China in June 2020.
- Timor-Leste Partner — Member of the 16+ Forum platform
- Tunisia Partner — Permanent Mission to the UN and member of the 16+ Forum platform
- UN High Commissioner for the Refugees Partner — Collaborative relationship through staff experience and likely program coordination
- UN OHCHR Government — Staff member affiliated with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
- United Nations Government — Collaborates with the United Nations to deliver training programs at UN diplomatic hubs.
- United Nations Government — Consultative Status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- United Nations Government — Hosts civil society dialogue events at United Nations Headquarters
- United Nations Government — Primary institution whose principles and purposes WFUNA supports and strengthens.
- United Nations Government — Works to support the principles and programs of the United Nations.
- United Nations Associations Network — WFUNA provides on-the-ground support for the Human Rights in Action program through its network of national United Nations Associations.
+ 7 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Civil Society Engagement for Institutional Accountabilitymethodology: civil_society_engagementBy creating structured forums for civil society—especially youth—to interact directly with UN officials and Security Council candidates, the organization increases transparency and accountability in global governance, because public dialogues, election debates, and sustained engagement shift institutional norms toward openness and responsiveness.
- Integrated SDG Advancement through Interlinkagesmethodology: integrated_sdg_approachBy advancing SDG 16+ (peace, justice, strong institutions) in connection with other Sustainable Development Goals, the organization achieves greater systemic impact, because addressing targets across goals synergistically reinforces progress in inclusion, justice, and global cooperation.
- Network-Based Advocacy for Global Governance Influencemethodology: network-based advocacyBy building and sustaining a coordinated global network of United Nations Associations, the organization amplifies civic influence on UN policies and programs, because decentralized national actors, when connected through shared capacity and learning, can collectively advocate more effectively for multilateral cooperation and reform.
- Participatory Program Design with Youth Integrationmethodology: participatory-program-designBy involving youth in advisory and programmatic roles, and using feedback from youth seminars to shape organizational strategies, the organization ensures relevance and sustainability of its initiatives, because integrating beneficiaries as co-designers strengthens ownership, improves programming, and models inclusive governance in practice.
- Youth as Agents of Change through Experiential Learningmethodology: experiential_learningBy equipping young people with practical skills, mentorship, and real-world engagement in Model UN and global governance simulations, the organization produces empowered global citizens who can drive community-level change, because experiential education combined with access to policymakers deepens understanding, builds confidence, and enables youth to apply knowledge through self-designed initiatives.