Applicants are invited to apply for the second edition of the UNESCO Silk Roads Youth Research Grant. As part of the Silk Roads Program’s ongoing work to better understand the rich history, shared legacy, and spirit of the Silk Roads, UNESCO launched the ‘Silk Roads Youth Research Grant’ in 2021 within the framework of the social and human sciences sector, with the support of the National Commission of the People’s Republic of China for UNESCO.
This program will provide 12 research grants to young women and men under the age of 35 in order to motivate young scholars for further study of the Silk Roads shared legacy. Grant applicants are encouraged to address areas of academic study related to the Silk Roads’ shared heritage and plural identities, as well as its internal diversity and potential in modern societies for creativity, intercultural dialogue, social cohesion, regional and international cooperation, and, ultimately, sustainable peace and development.
The Silk Roads are made up of sea and land routes. These historic communication and exchange networks cover Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, the Russian steppe, the Iranian and Anatolian plateaus, and the Arabian Peninsula, stretching from East Asia to South Asia and Southeast Asia. They also run from Tanzania to Morocco in North and Northeast Africa. They also travel through Eastern and Southern Europe before reaching the Iberian Peninsula.
Program Specifics
- Institutions that host: Any.
- Topics for Research: Please see the details below for more information.
- The total number of awards is twelve.
- One time only.
- Target Audience: All nationalities are welcome.
The panel will award 12 awards of USD 10,000 each based on the proposed research’s merits and potential contribution to advancing understanding of the interactions and exchanges taking place along the Silk Roads, as well as the concrete aspects that come from them. The funding will be distributed in two payments.
Research Areas Eligible
A wide range of study topics, including multidisciplinary and multidimensional projects that are not restricted to a single place or chronology, are eligible. The proposed research could focus on any of the following topics related to the Silk Roads’ shared heritage:
Science and technology, as well as traditional knowledge
- Spirituality and religion
- Literature and Language
- Music and the arts
- Traditional Games and Sports
- Trade and the Economy
- Silk Roads Legacy and Contemporary Issues.
However, the suggested research must focus on the outcomes of cultural connections and exchanges, and must highlight the specific resulting features, whether tangible or intangible, as discernible in two or more cultures throughout the Silk Roads and beyond. The approach to research may be interdisciplinary, and if possible, present dynamic and original views on the processes of interchange and transformation along the Silk Roads, as well as their meaning and value in current civilizations.
Languages and scripts, maps and other historical documents, literature, poetry, music, dance, theater, architecture, sculpture, ceramics, textiles, science and medicine, astronomy and navigation, sustainability, disaster and climate management, water resource management, trade and diplomacy, and so on are examples of research topics and sources.
Eligibility for the UNESCO Silk Roads Youth Research Grant
- Candidates must meet the following requirements in order to apply for the grant:
- be a postdoctoral researcher
- originates from any country on the planet
- At the time of application, you must be 35 years old or younger.
- The proposed research may be carried out by an individual researcher or as part of a group or collaborative initiative; however, only one grant per research project will be given.
How to Apply for a Silk Roads Youth Research Grant from UNESCO
Eligible applicants who wish to apply for this funding must complete this template (Please click here to obtain the template), which intends to reveal specifics about the research, its methodologies, predicted outcomes, and contribution to existing scholarship.
Proposals should be submitted in English and sent by email to silkroadsgrant@unesco.org. Please click here to see winning research projects of the second edition. All queries must be directed to silkroadsgrant@unesco.org. Attempts to contact members of the panel regarding the application process are forbidden and may result in disqualification from the grant.
The deadline for proposals is . For more information about the UNESCO Silk Roads Youth Research Grant, please visit the official page.