| Regional Youth, Culture and Sport Ministers to Meet for 22nd COHSOD |
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CARICOM headquarters in Georgetown, Guyana |
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Feb. 2 -- The convening of the 22nd Meeting of the Caribbean Community Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) is scheduled to take place today in Georgetown, Guyana, according to a CARICOM news release.
The event will be held under the theme, “Culture, Youth and Sport: strategic repositioning for human and economic development”, and expects to provide a platform for robust discussions on the youth, sport and culture and development agenda within the Community.
Considerable focus will be placed on the draft CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan (CYADP) which gives expression to the Declaration of Paramaribo on the Future of Youth in the Caribbean Community. The Declaration was issued by CARICOM Heads of Government following a Special Summit on Youth Development held in Suriname, January 2010. CARICOM Heads of Government convened the Summit to discuss the seminal report of the CARICOM Commission on Youth Development (CCYD) titled, “Eye on the Future, Invest in Youth Now for Tomorrow’s Future”.
The Report provided a comprehensive analysis of the situation of youth in the Caribbean and made significant recommendations on how to improve the well-being of Caribbean youth.
Central elements of the CYDAP include six CARICOM Youth Development Goals that speak to the formulation of a policy and institutional environment to ensure the following youth outcomes: resilience; safety and security; health and holistic wellbeing; education and economic empowerment; youth participation, governance and partnerships; and culture, identity and citizenship.
These goals will be used in tandem with a strengthened Regional Strategy for Youth Development to measure the monitor the progress of implementation of the CYADP and measure outcomes.
Space has also been created for a discussion on repositioning the CARICOM Youth Ambassador Programme (CYAP), which has been the Community’s primary mechanism for deepening levels of youth participation and partnership in regional integration. The COHSOD will examine the achievements, impact and challenges of the CYAP, and begin a discussion on initiatives to guarantee its financial sustainability at both the national and regional levels.
The two-day COHSOD meeting will commence with an opening ceremony to be addressed by the CARICOM Secretary-General, His Excellency Ambassador Irwin LaRocque and Chair of COHSOD, Honourable Dr. Frank Anthony, Guyana’s Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport and the co-Chair of the Regional Task Force on Cultural Industries Adrian Augier, who will make a feature presentation on Cultural Industries within the Caribbean Community. |
