Caribbean Youth Day message

The Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre and its partners extend a very successful Caribbean Youth Day to all youth development stakeholders.

This year’s commemoration is being held at a time when young people in the Caribbean and throughout the Commonwealth are preparing to participate in the 7^th Commonwealth Youth Forum to be held on November 21-27 in Trinidad and Tobago.

It is also being held at a time when the Report based on the work of the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development is about to be submitted with recommendations for young people’s role in the CSME and regional development.

But above all Caribbean Youth Day is being observed at a period when our member countries have been experiencing unprecedented social and economic challenges, many of which will impact on young people in a disproportionate manner.

Now more than ever it is necessary for young people to be more fully engaged in the development process at all levels.

The CYP takes this opportunity to call upon:

1. Governments to implement the necessary National Youth Policies and align them with their national macro development plans to ensure maximum participation of young people in the developmental process.

2. All Youth development stakeholders in the Region to strengthen existing networks and build new strategic alliances to ensure resources are optimally pooled to benefit a wider target of youth stakeholders and so as to improve the delivery of programmes.

3. Young people everywhere, in and out of school, on the blocks and in the board rooms to increase their knowledge of what’s going in their communities and countries, to hold society and each other accountable for progress, and to redouble efforts to reorganize and strengthen their youth networks as advocates and catalysts for meaningful development.

We wish everyone a productive Caribbean Youth Day.

Henry Charles

Regional Director

Commonwealth Youth Programme

Caribbean Centre

Secretariat Links:

• CYP Caribbean
• Youth