18 young people have been selected to form an international task force that will lead the planning and delivery of the 2024 Commonwealth Youth Forum (CYF) in Apia, Samoa.

The dedicated youth leaders representing 56 Commonwealth countries will work with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC), and the Government of Samoa to design and execute a forum that will lead to tangible outcomes around critical concerns such as climate change and conflict.

The CYF was created to ensure governments consider the concerns and perspectives of young people. It has become a critical platform for youths to amplify their voices as world leaders converge at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa. This year, the CYF will be held from October 21 to 22, 2024, days before CHOGM.

Supporting Youth-led Solutions

Over 300 youth leaders are expected to attend the two-day forum. Reiterating the government of Samoa’s support for the CYF taskforce, the Minister for Women, Community and Social Development, Samoa Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molico, said:

“We are delighted to announce the Official Commonwealth Youth Forum Task Force, a team of excellence that will bring forth interest and draw out issues pertaining to youth. The Samoan proverb ‘ole tele o lima e mama ai leavega’ (Many hands make the load easier) perfectly applies to the role of the task force in making the Forum a success at the CHOGM in Samoa.”

Commenting on the launch of the task force, the Head of the Social Policy Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat Layne Robinson said:

“It represents a significant step towards capturing the dreams and vision of the Commonwealth’s 1.2 billion young people, showcasing their innovations and solutions to global challenges and giving them an international platform to speak and be heard. The year’s CYF is particularly important as it will mark the culmination of the CHOGM 2022 “Year of Youth” mandate to dedicate 2023/24 to youth-led action for sustainable and inclusive development.”

The task force has the important role of working with government officials, experts, campaigners, and other stakeholders to ensure the youth’s perspectives reflect young people’s aspirations and priorities.

Commenting on the work ahead, the newly installed co-chair of the task force Nahjae Nunes and CYC representative said:

“We stand at the cusp of a pivotal era where youth engagement and leadership can significantly shape our future. We will use this moment to catalyse a movement that goes beyond dialogue, taking decisive steps towards building a more equitable, resilient, and united Commonwealth for all.”

Leiataualesā Kevin Lucky, co-chair, representing the Samoa National Youth Council, added:

“It is an absolute pleasure to be the Co-Chair for the upcoming Youth Forum at the CHOGM 2024, to represent all the Samoan youth and especially the Pacific region in lead facilitating the dialogues and discussions around the future of youth in the Commonwealth space.”

The task force will also work to develop a blueprint of action that will guide the work of the CYC and the 12 Commonwealth Youth Networks over the next two years.

Update news