Caribbean, 22 Feb 2024. -  Youth will take centre stage in the fourth Conversations on Migration in the Caribbean event taking place on Wednesday 28 February 2024 virtually, and in Paramaribo, Suriname.  The insightful discussion with young Caribbean leaders and hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) Caribbean Office will focus on the question of “How can youth be meaningfully included and engaged in discussions on climate-induced migration?”. Its objective it to promote youth engagement, utilizing their skills, and building strong leadership to save lives and provide solutions for managing challenges including displacement and migration in the face of Climate Change. 

Panelists will represent Civil Society Organizations from across the Caribbean, some of whom participated in the most recent Conference of the Parties, COP28 in the United Arab Emirates. 

• Aurae Opus Foundation: Suriname 

• The Breadfruit Collective: Guyana 

• Dominica Associations of Persons with Disabilities Inc.: Dominica 

• Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council: Jamaica 

• SASOD Guyana 

• VIDS Bureau Association of Indigenous Village Leaders in Suriname 

COP28 gave emphasis to youth engagement, and youth in the Caribbean are now interested in cementing longer term and meaningful engagement in the decisions that will affect their futures. 

As leaders in Civil Society Organizations, they also want to make their voices heard in the framework of the upcoming Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States – SIDS4, under the theme “Charting the Course to Resilient Prosperity”. 

SIDS4 will be held in Antigua and Barbuda, from 27-30 May 2024 and will aim to propose a new decade of partnerships and solutions to supercharge the path to resilient prosperity for SIDS around the world. 

Conversations on Migration in the Caribbean #4: Youth-Migration-Climate Change will be moderated by Iulia Duca, Programme Officer within the Climate Action Division at the International Organization for Migration (IOM) headquarters in Geneva. In her current role, Iulia manages multiple portfolios such the intersection of climate migration with health, gender, indigenous peoples, diaspora, youth engagement and children rights, as well as different partnerships like the engagement with Civil Society, the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) among others. 

This panel discussion will also be open for online participants on ZOOM, creating the space to listen in and virtually pose questions to panelists from anywhere in the Caribbean or around the world. All interested are encouraged to🔗REGISTER NOW to block this event in their calendars.   

This event is being funded by the Republic of France under a project on Migration, Environment and Climate Change, with additional support from IOM Suriname.