UNV Coordinator for Creative Cities in Nepal

Contract

This is a UNV National Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as National UN Volunteer. It is normally only for nationals. More about UNV National Specialist contracts.

To achieve these objectives, UNESCO actively participates in the work of the UN Country Team in Nepal and closely cooperates with other development partners in the country.

The UNV will be a part of the Culture Unit of the UNESCO Office in Kathmandu and supervised by the Programme Officer for Culture.

The UNV assignment is part of UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) which is the organization’s flagship programme on cities and sustainable urban development. Cities are hubs of human activities, linking regions and increasingly the rest of the world. They are places where economic, social, cultural and environmental dimensions of sustainable development converge and interact.

The outbreak of the pandemic has had a deep impact on culture sector, yet it has further illustrated the power of culture and creativity as a resource for city recovery and resilience. Through partnerships with cities, UNESCO seeks to support them in addressing the multiple challenges they face, while acknowledging the cities’ fundamental role in sustainable development and their potential for the country to capitalize on the culture and creativity of the dynamic young populations to deliver social, economic and other benefits for the cities and communities.

In this context, and in line with the UNESCO’s Nepal Country Strategy which focuses on fostering creative industries and safeguarding living heritage, the UNV assignment will focus on supporting and building the resiliency of local artists and bearers and practitioners of living heritage through nurturing creativity, innovation, and lobby for the inclusion of Nepal major cities into the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Within the delegated authority and under the direct supervision of Programme Officer for Culture, the National UNV Specialist will: • Conduct a situation analysis, mapping key stakeholders and existing or new players, potential actors including their major role and/or strength and exploring essential components and opportunities including the impact by COVID-19 pandemic to untap the culture and creativity potential of the major cities of Kathmandu Valley, in particular Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and beyond as may be applicable, for the social, economic and other benefits for cities and communities, in particular to the youth; • Research, compile and prepare simple background information in line with the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) to complement vision and efforts of the Cities’ mayors/administrators alongside the potential partners (private and non-government sectors) interested to collaborate with UNESCO in key areas; • Identify good practices that demonstrate the importance of creative industries and living heritage in local socio-economic plans, in Nepal and also compile and present the examples from other countries in the South Asian region that are applicable to Nepal; • Explore ways for UNESCO to facilitate an extensive community and stakeholder consultation (coordinate a public engagement event - working with the City Offices to secure keynote speakers, moderators, and identify potential community partners) in culture and creativity in Nepal to  enhance the diversity of cultural expressions and safeguard community practices, and promote contemporary urban narratives and space for cultural expression with new technologies, for social and economic development of the local communities;  connect local economies to boost new creative approaches to safeguard heritage of the local communities; • Facilitate in bringing together an umbrella group of like-minded entities, individuals, and organizations, in particular youth and prominent creative actors working in Nepal to brainstorm and work on creative cities fields i.e., Crafts and folk arts, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music, relevant for Cities of Nepal along with partners who have long worked in these fields; • Suggest how best to visually present the UCCN to potential cities’ mayors/administrators, funding partners, working in consultation with the UCCN Secretariat and the communication focal point of the Office and accordingly prepare presentation, outreach contents to steer discussion, encourage the cities of the Kathmandu Valley and outside to join the Network and help raise UNESCO visibility; • Coordinate with actors/players identified and other stakeholders relevant to the UCCN programme to facilitate multi-prong dialogue, primarily for the establishment of Nepal’s first application to the UCCN focusing on the relevant creative fields as a thematic focus and also to find ways on integrating culture and creativity in local-level initiatives, policies and projects to facilitate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; • Contribute to prepare a demonstrative report on the outcome of the dialogues with each City Offices, and consultations with stakeholders into a clear summary paper, aiming to share experiences and stimulate other cities to undertake similar efforts; • Share progress of work in regular meetings and conduct dialogue with the Head of Office, as well as relevant colleagues, in seeking allies for Culture programme in Nepal, leveraging partnership and synergies in other sectoral programmes to help raise UNESCO visibility (preparation of human story, web news, media advisory/press release and through relevant events etc.) • Undertake other tasks related to the above as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are encouraged to integrate the UN Volunteers programme mandate within their assignment and promote voluntary action through engagement with communities in the course of their work. As such, UN Volunteers should dedicate a part of their working time to some of the following suggested activities:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day); • Be acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country; • Provide annual and end of assignment self-reports on UN Volunteer actions, results and opportunities.
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.; • Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Volunteers; • Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.

Results/expected outputs:

• As an active UNESCO team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to UNESCO and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: • Process for formal establishment of at least one self-sustaining Creative Cities in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, or Bhaktapur initiated; • Strengthened dialogue and cooperation among stakeholders, communities and cities administrators and experts on diverse ways in which the Creative Cities embrace culture and creativity in their local strategies/policies/actions to achieve the 2030 Agenda; • Knowledge and understanding of the community on innovative approaches of Creative Cities Network enhanced; • Periodic progress reports. • Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) perspective is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment • A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNESCO; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNESCO’s procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients

• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the UN and UNESCO in daily activities and behaviours while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority;

• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues;

• Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities;

works related to sustainable cities, creative industries and living heritage or other relevant programmes. Further more, experience with creative economy and sustainable development is an asset, as is experience working in the UN or other international development organization;

As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. National UN Volunteers are part of the malicious insurance plan.