Today September 30th, 2020 marks 35 years since the inception of Caribbean Youth Day (CYD). It presents a day of action and advocacy for young people all across the Caribbean. The theme of this year’s Caribbean Youth Day is Vision 2020: Caribbean Youth, Crafting One Vision, a statement that highlights the commitment of Caribbean youth to furthering the goal of regional integration.
Although this day is one of celebration, this year, it comes in the midst of a time when many young people are encountering life-altering consequences because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As clearly seen through the mass media, over the past few months, the world has undergone unprecedented events. This upheaval has spared almost no one and many have been affected in some way by the pandemic.
We can further note that our region’s youth have faced numerous challenges – some short term and others that will have lasting effects.
This turmoil has also widened the gap even more for our most vulnerable youth – those with disabilities or pre-existing conditions; those who are not safe in their own homes due to domestic violence and child abuse; individuals who are living with HIV/AIDS; the homeless and unsheltered; members of marginalized communities and those living in poverty or financial instability have been significantly affected.
However, amid the chaos and uncertainty that have been an almost constant force for most of the year, Caribbean young people are displaying resilience, creativity, resourcefulness, and cohesiveness.
All of us are living up to the theme chosen for this year’s day of celebration: unity. We are using skills and talents to develop new ways to connect with each other, from learning and knowledge-sharing sessions such as webinars and conferences to engaging activities in the form of games and parties.
We especially as Caribbean Youth have come together in the true spirit of Islanders to help each other navigate and excel in this new world. New leaders have emerged, new bonds have been formed, and new milestones have been set and achieved.
I strongly urge Caribbean youth to continue to work together to find innovative ways to come out of this pandemic stronger and better than ever before and to focus on the many positive outcomes for the future.