Celebrating Caribbean Youth Day 2025!
Greetings Barbados!
Today, September 30th is Caribbean Youth Day, a day when we celebrate the heartbeat of our nation and our Caribbean region—our young people.
This year, we celebrate the fact that local action by our youth is driving global goals, and that their innovation is paving the way for sustainable Caribbean futures. It is a powerful reminder that our young people are not waiting for tomorrow—
they are leading change today.
Across our Caribbean, young men and women are innovating in communities, advocating for justice, and shaping sustainable futures. They are not just participants—they are creators, leaders, way makers and the architects of tomorrow’s Caribbean. Earlier this year in June, our nation celebrated the selfless contributions and hard work of Barbadian youth through its National Youth Awards, covering a wide range of work from the cultural industries, sustainable development, to entrepreneurship and community engagement. And just a few days ago we saw and felt the energy of our youth in the second edition of the National Youth Parade at Kensington Oval and along the streets to Queens Park.
It is important that we celebrate, support and nurture our youth and through my Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment and its programmes, we have continually sought to put youth at the centre of national transformation, because they are the drivers of our tomorrow that begins today.
As part of the CARICOM family, we have upheld our regional commitments on several initiatives and very soon, we will complete our due diligence with the appointment of the 2025–2027 male and female Barbados-CARICOM Youth Ambassadors. These two young leaders will join their CARICOM counterparts to represent our nation —educating, empowering, and inspiring their peers here and across the region.
Over the years, I have seen firsthand the power of investing in youth. When we invest strategically, the impact multiplies—touching families, strengthening communities, and building the nation.
At the heart of this commitment has been the Division of Youth Affairs. Established in 1995, and now celebrating thirty years, the Division has been more than a government office. It has been a living framework for empowerment, inclusion, and innovation. Over three decades it has nurtured leaders, creators, and changemakers. And as we mark this milestone, we renew the vision that began this movement:
that every young Barbadian deserves the chance to thrive, to lead, and to shape the future of our island. We know and we see that some will need extra support and we must all be prepared to do our part.
I ask you as a nation to support our young people and refuel the African and Caribbean sayings many of us grew up hearing: “it takes a village to raise a child, One hand can’t clap and No Man is an Island”. And as we celebrate this Caribbean Youth Day, let us build resilience and capacity to strengthen our nation, and create a Caribbean space where our young people can extend their wings and fly. I believe that together, across generations, we can do it.
The future belongs to our youth because they are the architects of our shared destiny. It belongs to our communities because together we can accomplish great things. It belongs to every believer in the promise of Barbados and our Caribbean family.
Happy Caribbean Youth Day 2025!
