The 14th Commonwealth Youth Forum opened today in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, with a clear challenge for governments, partners and young leaders: to transform bold, evidence-based ideas into practical action that improves the lives of young people.
More than 300 national youth delegates from five Commonwealth regions joined ministers, senior officials and partners at the University of the West Indies, Five Islands Campus, for the three-day Forum. The theme, Investing in Youth Agency: Co-Creating Pathways Towards Shared Prosperity, engages young people in the wider 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) theme of partnerships and economic growth.
Opening the Forum, Commonwealth Deputy Secretary-General (Programmes), Tanmaya Lal, said:
“Today’s youth are innovators and entrepreneurs. They are building satellites and launching rockets. They are transforming startups into unicorns. Young influencers command global reach on social media. The youth do not lack ideas; they often lack opportunities, networks and investment. Our role is to help close that gap”.
He also urged delegates to “come up with new ideas that can feed into the leaders’ discourse. This brings fresh and positive perspective for both Advocacy and Action”.
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Youth leadership: From dialogue to action
From 2–4 November, delegates will examine how young people can participate as equal partners in addressing the challenges they face and in influencing decisions at the highest levels of Commonwealth leadership.
Following the opening ceremony, plenaries and workshops on Day one explored meaningful participation in governance, digital skills and artificial intelligence, climate action, and the financing required to turn youth-led ideas into sustainable ventures.
The programme was shaped by an International Taskforce of 23 young leaders, in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth Youth Council and local youth organisations.
Reaffirming Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to youth leadership, Senator Shenella Govia, Minister of State in the Ministry of Works and Housing and Forum Lead, said:
“Hosting the Commonwealth Youth Forum represents far more than an opportunity to welcome young leaders to our shores. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that young people are not merely participants in conversations about their future, but active contributors to the decisions and solutions that will shape it.
As a Small Island Developing State, Antigua and Barbuda recognises both the unique challenges facing our nations and the extraordinary potential of our young people to drive meaningful change. Through this Forum, we aim to amplify youth voices, foster lasting partnerships, strengthen youth leadership and transform ideas into tangible action.”
Our aspiration is to ensure that the impact of this Forum extends far beyond its closing ceremony, leaving a lasting legacy of empowerment, collaboration and meaningful youth participation across the Commonwealth.”
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In a joint message to leaders, Taskforce Co-Chairs Neema Sheikh Abdikadir Abdullahi and Donte Walter said:
“The Commonwealth Youth Forum matters now because our generation is ready to move beyond talk; we’re here to act. Every young leader should walk away with new skills, fresh knowledge, and the confidence to lead. Together, we’re shaping a Commonwealth where youth are not just part of the conversation, but at the heart of solutions.”
Drawing on lessons from the Storytelling Skills Lab, youth advocate Ashley Lashley urged delegates to challenge barriers, amplify the experiences of people with disabilities and uphold the rights of those excluded from opportunities. Here, participants were also encouraged to translate lived experience, evidence, and local knowledge into narratives that reach decision makers, mobilise communities, and attract support.
Attention then turned to a challenge facing many young innovators: accessing the finance needed to turn promising ideas into viable, scalable businesses. During a high-level Verandah Chat on Innovation and Future Economies, Caribbean Development Bank President Mr Daniel Best joined participants to explore how entrepreneurs could access capital, build investment networks and secure practical support for youth-led ventures.
The broader discussions throughout the forum will shape the recommendations to Commonwealth leaders, ensuring young people’s contributions are reflected across the CHOGM agenda.
As the day’s sessions closed, delegates were reminded that the Forum’s legacy would be measured by the tangible outcomes they would implement in their respective countries following the Forum.
