Tobago
Good luck George
Over 200 young leaders from across the region gathered in Tobago for the four-day Caribbean Youth Leadership Summit 2023 (CYLS).
CYLS was organized by the Caribbean Regional Youth Council (CRYC) in partnership with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transport Division, Commonwealth, Tobago Youth Council and Trinidad Youth Council.
The event which opened at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex on January 12 with the theme – Adding Global Value: Taking charge of our future, was made up of regional youth councils and represented the collective voice of Caribbean youth.
Tobago Youth Council Trustee Dimitri Fraser, in welcoming the youth leaders, encouraged them to make the most of the CYLS experience.
“No matter your situation, no matter every moment, every event, every opportunity, every CYLS – everything in life is perspective and how you get it, everything in life is how you get it.”
Describing Tobago as “the greatest small island on earth”, Caricom Youth Ambassador for TT Keigon Denoon said the aim is not only to recognize the achievements of young people across the Caribbean, but also to “bring minds together to ensure that in the end, the goal is achieved.”
“Globally, we see that most governments are now putting emphasis on youth development in their respective countries, realizing that the best investment any country can make is investing in its youth population. This investment is made by nurturing, developing and strengthening all the young people under their watch.”
He said that this global movement is not a guess.
“It is because of the culmination of the unceasing efforts of all young people who stand up and realize the power of their individual and collective voices. It is through the power of these voices and through youth advocacy that they have engaged governments and encouraged them to provide more opportunities for young people to make a valuable contribution to the same society we are set to inherit.”
The sustainability and progress of the region, he said, depends on unlocking the potential of every child so that they can contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of every country they belong to.
“This is done by defying the odds and the challenges they are facing, enabling them to rise to unimaginable heights. Adding global value: Taking responsibility for our future – taking responsibility means giving importance to your life, it means that as youth leaders we use our influence, our credibility, our skills and our talents to giving voice to the voice by ensuring that we are advocates for young people, adding global value by using their gifts, talents, creativity in birth initiatives to cause commercial value in their respective countries.”
The youth population, he said, is truly an asset to any nation.
“If used rightly, it can take a country to heights of glory and prosperity they never dreamed of.”
The summit ran until January 15 and featured discussions on practical solutions and strategies for young people to contribute and add value to advancing global development in a post-Covid19 world.
