Commonwealth Youth Forum ‘recognition and prize-giving’

Prime Minister Manning, President Venetiaan, Ladies and Gentlemen – we meet in something which is not quite, I understand, a ‘closing ceremony’, but a ‘recognition and a prize giving’.

So let me formally recognize that the future is yours, and the future of the Commonwealth is yours.

It is you who will inherit this 21^st century, and this association of 60 years and 53 countries.

It is you who must preserve what needs preserving, and change what needs changing.

It is you who must undo some of the ills which, I regret to say, my generation has bequeathed you.

To the young men and women of the Commonwealth, I say that this association is committed to serving you – and, in turn, I ask you to serve it, to embrace its values, its networks, its striving for collective approaches to collective challenges.

I recognize all your talents, all your energy, all your creativity, all your bravery.

I see you as partners on the journey to our twin goals of democracy and development, and not as mere recipients or passive bystanders.

So, too, do I recognize what impedes you.

Now is not time to recite a litany of unhappy statistics about youth unemployment, youth marginalisation, youth disenchantment.

We may not recite them, but we know only too well what they are.

And we know what their consequences are.

‘Recognition’, then, means much more than a pat on the back.

It means a deep understanding of issues, and priorities.

And what of today’s ‘prize-giving’?

I salute all who have been honoured today.

Just as much, I salute all who have participated this week – all are winners simply for being here, and for sharing in this great venture.

But let me ask a bigger question: what is the prize we all seek?

I would contend that it is a fairer, better, more peaceful and prosperous world – the world, as I was saying, that is yours to inherit.

A world based on values which are not just for the Commonwealth, but for all – of freedom, and democracy, of human rights and the rule of law, of health and education, of every kind of social and economic opportunity.

Just as the Commonwealth says that every country – large or small, rich or poor – merits national salvation and its place in the sun, so, too, does every individual.

We must nurture our children so that they become active, constructive young people.

And we must nurture our young people to be the fulfilled adults who can put back what they have received, into the community.

We are a young Commonwealth: half of our two billion people are under 25.

And we have always been a Commonwealth committed to our young people.

We were the first to set up a standalone youth programme in 1974, and you will all know of its successes over the years, coming out of its four regional centres, all of which are coming to be recognized as global Centres of Excellence in their different fields of activity.

I think of the 10,000 people with Commonwealth Youth Diplomas, or the 20,000 young people trained in the last two years alone, or the 2,500 businesses started up in that time.

Or the work in drawing up National Youth Action Plans and setting up National Youth Councils in some two-thirds of our member countries.

Or the gift to the world that was our youth development indicators – watertight ways of measuring progress and thereby setting targets.

For every big statistic, there is of course a powerful human story.

I think of the extraordinary impact of our Young Ambassadors for Positive Living – HIV-positive young people in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and the Caribbean, who go into schools, community centres and sports clubs, and preach not just prevention, but response – and the value of acceptance and assistance, not discrimination.

I think, too, of the testimony of people like Franky Phillip and Sarika Katoch whom I met in London in March – a young entrepreneur from Dominica, and a youth development worker in Dharamshala, India.

The intergovernmental Commonwealth, the Commonwealth Youth Programme, and the hundreds of thousands of young people whom it has benefitted, have reason to be proud.

But here I am danger of reverting to pats on the back.

We have much more work to do.

And I am confident that we can do it.

Having seen you in action this week in Tobago, I know we are in good hands.

It was only a flying visit, I fear, but what I saw at the Buccoo Reef Trust project (where we saw what young people can do to turn back coral degradation, not just for the environment, but for the entire social and economic fabric of their community), and at the Youth Assembly (where I witnessed extraordinarily articulate, impassioned, reasoned, responsible, good-humoured but purposeful debate on the same subject of climate change) ….. these gave me a flavour of the quality which you young people represent.

So where do we go from here, in pursuit of the greatest prize of them all?

Most immediately, on Saturday, eight of you go to join Henry Charles in addressing our Commonwealth Heads of Government over lunch.

Could there be any clearer indication of the value we attach to you, and the commitment to hear you and help you?

It is my hope that in this, the Commonwealth 60^th anniversary year –in which we have committed to, I quote, ‘serving a new generation’ – that a determined Declaration will be issued by Heads of Government, to do just that.

It will say why we wish to do so, and will hint at how.

I urge you to use that Saturday lunchtime well.

It is a chance to set out your Commonwealth Youth Forum stall, and relay some of your findings, and concerns, of the last few days.

No subject is taboo – climate, enterprise, democracy, health.

I urge you to talk to them about the way in which your debates have mirrored what will be their own – on the special topic, chosen by Prime Minister Manning, of partnership, equity and sustainability.

I have a special interest in one aspect of partnership, which is the youth window of the Commonwealth Partnership Platform Portal, the CP3, which you saw on Tuesday.

I believe it offers the potential of an explosion in connectivity – cultural, educational, entrepreneurial – between young people in the Commonwealth.

If you liked it, please say so, and if you didn’t, say so too, and tell them how it could be better.

I also urge you to have your say about two areas in which we really believe we can make a difference.

The first is what we call youth mainstreaming (even if nobody else does….).

It means that we are making strides in establishing youth not as a sidelined activity, but as central to all aspects of national life.

All Ministries, we believe, should have youth policies, youth programmes, and budgets attached.

We have much more to offer our member governments in making this a reality.

The second is youth enterprise, in which we have a vison that our pilot Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative – now rolling out in 14 countries – can become something much bigger and better.

We want to make it more comprehensive and holistic, with stronger links between its three component parts: skills development, funding and mentoring for young entrepreneurs.

We have developed a model to make it so.

We also seek governments’ political and financial backing, as well as the resources – financial and logistical – of a much wider range of partners: international finance institutions, regional organisations, banks, and businesses.

Some of you may know that new and exciting commitments of finance and expertise are already on the table.

These are two areas in which, with Heads of Governments’ support, we can take huge strides towards realizing our vision for young people.

Ladies and gentlemen, in asking ‘where we go from here?’, I have only charted a path for the next two days.

Rest assured, I know that the journey will be longer, and that we in the intergovernmental Commonwealth will walk it with you.

I congratulate you, and I wish you luck.

And I repeat the recognition that the future and the Commonwealth are yours, and that our shared task is to work towards that ultimate prize.

Thank you.

ENDS