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Belizean youth look towards the Summit of the Future

16 August 2024

Caption: The Resident Coordinator for Belize and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Hon. Francis Fonseca (front row, centre) with Youth Dialogue organising partners and participants.

Photo: © Government of Belize

Young Belizeans shared their expectation, concerns, and action priorities for the country's development as they looked towards the Summit.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade with support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Youth, Transport and Sports, and the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, in partnership with Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRCO) and the UN Country Team jointly convened a National Youth Dialogue on the Summit of the Future on 9 August 2024. The event brought together a cross section of over 100 stakeholders including diverse young Belizeans from across the country through academia and youth organizations, with policy and decision makers from the Government and the UN System.

Six persons in armchairs seated around a round coffee table and in conversation with audience looking on — Caption: Government and United Nations Belize officials co-moderated the panel discussions.

Photo: © Government of Belize

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Education, Culture, Science and Technology, Hon. Francis Fonseca, emphasized the significance of youth involvement, stating, “Our young people are the torchbearers of our future. Their voices and ideas are crucial in shaping the direction of our nation and the global community. As we look toward the Summit of the Future, it is imperative that we include our youth in these critical conversations.”

The Youth Dialogue served as a platform to deepen understanding among young people on critical global challenges, as well as on how actions to address those challenges will impact their future. It created a space for youth to share innovative ideas and solutions to solve the development challenges we face today including rebuilding trust and solidarity to promote more effective international cooperation. It was structured around three (3) panel discussions co-moderated by the Government and United Nations with four (4) youth panelists in each, one from each of the four (4) Universities in Belize including the University of Belize, Galen University, the University of the West Indies, and St. John’s College (University).

United Nations Resident Coordinator for Belize, Raul Salazar, remarked that, “Youth engagement is essential to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. By involving young people in dialogues like this, we are not only ensuring that their voices are heard, but we are also empowering them to be active agents of change in building a sustainable and equitable future for all. The UN Country Team in Belize stands ready to continue partnering with the government and academia in ensuring that youth voices remain at the table in leaving no one behind.”

Caption: Resident Coordinator for Belize, Raul Salazar, rallies participants.

Photo: © Government of Belize

The panels of the Youth Dialogue covered three (3) Chapters from the Pact for the Future which will be an inter-governmentally agreed outcome by world leaders from the Summit of the Future taking place 22-23 September 2024 in New York. These panels included:

Sustainable Development and Financing for Development
Science, Technology, Innovation and Digital Cooperation
Youth and Future Generations

A Youth Representative, Yannika Dorado from the University of the West Indies Global Campus Belize, shared their perspective, stating, “This dialogue has given us the opportunity to contribute our ideas and concerns. We are ready to take on the responsibility of working towards the SDGs and to ensure that our future is one of progress, inclusivity, and sustainability. We appreciate this initiative by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the United Nations in Belize. Our future hangs in the balance, and it is ours to save.”

The National Youth Dialogue is part of Belize's ongoing efforts to promote meaningful youth participation in national and international policy-making processes. The outcomes of the dialogue will contribute to Belize's input at the global Summit of the Future, ensuring that the voices of Belizean youth are represented on the international stage. The event underscores the commitment of the government and United Nations in Belize to continue engaging youth in shaping the policies and actions that will determine the future of the nation and the world.

The Youth Dialogue was convened through leveraging partnerships between the Government of Belize, United Nations in Belize, academia, youth and civil society. Acknowledgement is given to the financial and technical support provided by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator, UN Women, UNICEF, UNDP, UNHCR, UNFPA, UNESCO, PAHO/WHO and OHCHR.