2023 Caribbean Youth Leadership Summit attendees included more than 200 young leaders across the region, who gathered in Tobago for the four-day event (CYLS).
The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities and Transportation, the Commonwealth, the Tobago Youth Council, and the Trinidad Youth Council collaborated with the Caribbean Regional Youth Council (CRYC) to organize CYLS.
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The event, which kicked off on January 12 at the Shaw Park Cultural Complex with the subject “Adding global value: Taking charge of our Future,” included regional youth councils and served as the voice of all young people in the Caribbean.
In extending a warm welcome to the young leaders, Tobago Youth Council trustee Dimitri Fraser urged them to make the most of their CYLS experience.
“Regardless of your situation, regardless of any moment, any event, any opportunity, any CYLS – everything in life is perspective and how you make it, everything in life is how you make it.”
He described Tobago as the, “greatest little island on earth,” Caricom Youth Ambassador for TT Keigon Denoon said the aim is not only to recognize the accomplishments of young people across the Caribbean but also to “put minds together to ensure that in the end, the goal is accomplished.”
“Globally, we see most governments are now placing emphasis on youth development in their respective countries, therein understanding that the best investment any country can make is investing into its youth population. This investment is done by nurturing, developing, and strengthening all the young people under their watch.”
“It’s due to the culmination of relentless efforts of all the young people rising up and understanding the power of both their individual and collective voices. It is in the power of these voices and through youth advocacy that has engaged governments and has encouraged them to provide more opportunities to young people to make a valuable contribution to the same society that we are set to inherit.”
The capacity of each child to contribute significantly to the socioeconomic growth of any nation they are a part of is essential to the region’s sustainability and advancement, he added.
“This is done by defying the odds and the challenges that they are facing, enabling them to rise to unimaginable heights. Adding global value: Taking charge of our future – taking charge means placing importance on your life, it means as youth leaders we use our influence, our credibility, our capabilities, and our talents to give a voice to the voiceless ensuring that we are advocates for young people, adding global value by using their gifts, their talents, their creativity to birth initiatives to cause commercial values in their respective countries.”
He claimed that young people are a valuable resource for any country.
“If rightfully utilized, can lead a country to heights of glory and prosperity that they never dreamed of.”
The summit, which lasted through January 15, included topics such as how young people may contribute to and advance global development in the post-COVID-19 era.
