YOUTH AMBASSADORS TO SPEAK ON REGIONAL COURT, SINGLE MARKET & HIV/AIDS

A new group of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Youth Ambassadors, selected from among their peers across the Region, will participate in a four-day strategic planning workshop beginning Saturday 31st July 2004 in St Kitts and Nevis. The young persons will be inducted into the Ambassadorship Programme at a function scheduled to take place at the headquarters of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in Bird Rock in the twin-island state.

Following their induction, the young ambassadors, representing most CARICOM Member States, will benefit from a series of discussions on critical issues affecting the Region including governance, regional integration and HIV/AIDS. The major objectives of the workshop are to increase the levels of participation by National Youth Councils and youth organizations or networks in a Regional Strategy for Youth Development, and to build consensus on a CARICOM model of youth partnership and participation in governance.

Over the four days, the youth are expected to develop a Regional action plan in which their future roles as spokespersons on the subjects of the workshop will be emphasized. In preparing the youth to become advocates on the various subject matters, the workshop will also engage the young leaders in activities to build their capacity for leadership, advocacy and public education and assist them with the implementation of a multi-sectoral Youth and Aids Agenda. The workshop is also geared to increase the participation of the youth in critical CARICOM matters, especially the CARICOM Single Market & Economy (CSME) and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

This group of CARICOM Youth Ambassadors will be the third batch since 1993, when the programme was created in response to a mandate from the Conference of  Heads of Government of CARICOM.

The Young leaders will maintain their titles for two years during which time they are expected to influence their peers in positive behaviour, advocacy and support for the CSME and CCJ, and in increasing HIV/AIDS awareness. A three-day meeting of CARICOM Directors of Youth Affairs to be held in St Kitts and Nevis from August 3-6 will follow the workshop.

CONTACT:

The Communications Unit
Tel: (592) 226-9280-9 or 225-7758/ 227-4720
Email: carisec3@caricom.org or carisec4@caricom.org