02 November 2026
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
DeputySecretary-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”.
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.
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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.”
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.
Notes:
- The
Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent
and equal sovereign states. Our combined population is 2.7
billion, of which more than 60 per cent is aged 29 or
under. - The Commonwealth spans the globe and includes
both advanced economies and developing countries.
Thirty-three of our members are small states, many of which
are island nations. - The Commonwealth Secretariat
supports member countries to build democratic and inclusive
institutions, strengthen governance and promote justice and
human rights. Our work helps to grow economies and boost
trade, deliver national resilience, empower young people,
and address threats such as climate change, debt and
inequality. - Member countries are supported by a
network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society,
cultural and professional organisations. - For
more information and regular updates about Commonwealth
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