CARICOM Youth Ambassador and Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM strategise meaningful youth participation
CARICOM Youth Ambassador (Barbados) Ashley Lashley and Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, His Excellency Ambassador Comissiong discuss strengthening youth participation within the CARICOM agenda.
(Photos courtesy of Ashley Lashley)
“Meeting with Ambassador Comissiong was essential for aligning key priorities, including ensuring meaningful youth participation at the upcoming CARICOM Heads of Government Summit and advancing initiatives to engage young people across Barbados. This discussion provided an opportunity to strategise projects such as the proposed CARICOM Youth Workshop and outreach campaigns aimed at enhancing youth representation and increasing public awareness of CARICOM’s mission.”
CARICOM Youth Ambassador (Barbados) Ashley Lashley.
Exploring ways to strengthen youth engagement within the CARICOM agenda was the focus of discussions between CARICOM Youth Ambassador (Barbados) Ashley Lashley and Barbados’ Ambassador to CARICOM, His Excellency Ambassador Comissiong, on Tuesday, 7 January.
They discussed priority areas for youth involvement in CARICOM, including agriculture and culture.
Increasing youth participation in upcoming CARICOM events, proposed workshops for secondary schools, and various outreach programmes across Barbados also formed part of the dialogue.
“Meeting with Ambassador Comissiong was essential for aligning key priorities, including ensuring meaningful youth participation at the upcoming CARICOM Heads of Government Summit and advancing initiatives to engage young people across Barbados. This discussion provided an opportunity to strategise on projects such as the proposed CARICOM Youth Workshop and outreach campaigns aimed at enhancing youth representation and increasing public awareness of CARICOM’s mission,” stated Ms Lashley.
2025 Priority Areas
The CARICOM Youth Ambassador highlighted her focus areas for 2025:
“For 2025, my priorities include increasing youth representation at CARICOM meetings, broadening public engagement through impactful outreach programmes, and supporting regional initiatives like the “CARICOM Ideal Citizen project”, with a particular focus on culture and agriculture. I am committed to amplifying youth voices in high-level discussions on critical regional challenges, such as sustainable development and collaborative progress,” stated Ms Lashley.
Anticipation for CARIFESTA XV
She also shared her anticipation for CARIFESTA XV, which will be hosted in Barbados from 22-31 August 2025:
“As Barbados’ Female CARICOM Youth Ambassador, I eagerly anticipate CARIFESTA XV as a powerful celebration of Caribbean culture and resilience. This Festival represents a unique opportunity to unite the Region, highlight our extraordinary creative talents, and inspire the next generation to embrace and celebrate our shared identity. CARIFESTA should serve as a meaningful platform to engage Caribbean youth in preserving and promoting our cultural heritage while fostering spiritual and psychological resilience, and one I hope will remain a central focus of the event,” urged the CYA.
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