Youth ambassadors meet OAS assistant secretary general

TIMES INT'L

Organisation of the American States (OAS) Assistant Secretary General, Ambassador Albert Ramdin discussed issues of leadership, political participation, responsibility and courage with a delegation of “Caribbean Youth Ambassadors” which visited Washington DC this week.
The Caribbean youth ambassadors came from several countries, including The Bahamas, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago as part of the United States Department of State “Youth Ambassadors” and “Bold Leaders” programme.

OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin meeting with Caribbean youth ambassadors
OAS Assistant Secretary General Albert Ramdin meeting with Caribbean youth ambassadors

Many of the participants of the Youth Ambassadors Programme have expressed interest in pursuing political careers. Addressing this issue, Assistant Secretary General Ramdin pointed out that leadership and political participation should always be founded on “an intense desire to ensure that those who are voiceless or under represented have a voice”, adding that “leadership and political participation require a sense of responsibility and a great deal of courage to do what is right”.
According to Ramdin, political differences can often be solved by meaningful dialogue, a process which the OAS often facilitates through quiet diplomacy. The senior OAS official also encouraged the youth participants to strive to avoid pitfalls of individualism and materialism and focus more on understanding and respecting their fellow citizens.
Ramdin, who is also chair of the OAS Inter-Departmental Working Group on Youth issues, described the Youth Ambassadors Programme as a positive learning experience which provided participants with an opportunity to engage in a meaningful way.
Representatives of OAS Youth initiatives including the Young Americas Business Trust, the Inter- American Programme on Democratic Values and Practices, the OAS Youth Orchestra Programme in the Caribbean, the Trust for the Americas POETA Youth Programme and Training Courses for Young Leaders on Democracy made presentations on their respective programmes.

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