The World Youth Conference Comes to Belize in November

The Department of Youth Services announced today that Belize has been selected as host of the upcoming World Youth Conference. It’s a big event which brings together youths from around the world to focus on the United Nations program for action on youth. In announcing the event, the Department also launched an impressive song and an ad featuring a team of local artists. News Five’s Duane Moody was present at the launch and has the following report.

Duane Moody, Reporting

For the first time, the World Youth Conference is to be hosted in Belize. From November sixth to the ninth at the Ramada Belize City Princess, the Department of Youth Services will accommodate just about two hundred and fifty youth leaders, youth development workers and academic researchers from across the globe for the WYC 2017, which is being held under the theme: “Globally Running to 2030; Becoming Sustainably Strong.”

Dominique Noralez

Dominique Noralez, Member, World Youth Conference Secretariat

“It directly correlates to the World Program for Action on Youth and what ties that all together is the five P’s of the United Nations Agenda. So that’s people prosperity, peace planet and participation and partnership. So those are the things that we will be focused on. The conference is split into four sessions and so young people get the opportunity to apply for the session they are most interested in and that will be the session they will be sitting in, drafting the action plan and the declaration. So if I for example chose climate change and environmental action, I will be in that session for all the conference days and I’ll be contributing to that part of the action plan and the declaration. The other three parts are economic empowerment, well-being and humanity which is one and then social justice and equity.”

The conference convenes to tackle the sustainable development goals by 2030. And today, at the DYS offices on Regent Street, the campaign was officially launched. It included the release of a collaborative track by top Belizean artists for the global event. Similar to the likes of ‘I Am Belize’ or the ‘We Are the World’ campaigns, it sends a direct message to all.

Shyne Barrow

Shyne Barrow, Musical Ambassador

“This is one of the best songs that I’ve ever been a part of hands down. Tarun came to me last year and requested my assistance and I agreed immediately. I listen to about a hundred beats and it took quite a while to get this record finished, but it was well worth it. I listened to a hundred beats and then finally I listened to Andrew Rhaburn’s beat and I said this is it.”

Tanya Carter

Tanya Carter, Artist

“Anytime that I get an opportunity to be a part of something so amazing with such great artists it gives me an extra gooey feeling inside. You know it’s been a while since I’ve been on something like this. The last time, it was ‘I Am Belize and you have to understand the magnitude of this.”

Clayton 'C-Wills' Williams

Clayton ‘C-Wills’ Williams, Artist

“When I got the beat it was already in my field because it’s blend with the Garifuna style so for me it as very easy for me. I just went to the studio, went to Juni Mar and bam. I didn’t write the verse before until I get to the studio and we just start working.”

TR Shine

TR Shine, Artist

“From I hear the rhythm, I mi want it be my single, but like I said, I got the call from Shyne and I linked up with Andrew in the studio and it was phenomenal from there because the positive message weh di come ina this…dah about youths; and I dah wah youth myself so I can adhere and relate to this all the way.”

The conference is rooted in the spirit of partnering with young people and organizations that work with the youth. The Department of Youth Services is working closely with the United Nations Development Program to provide technical support during the event. While the four-day conference will also see participants getting to know Belize, there is room for more participation from the Belizean youth.

Dominique Noralez

“We have a slight problem with getting Belizean participation. Like I said early, we have over seven hundred applications and a small percentage of that are Belizean young people. So what we are trying to do right now is try to get them in because we feel that there is a fear that I’m not good enough for something like this, so we are trying to get them involved. We are contacting youth organizations, UNDP through the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, through the National Youth Council of Belize and really try to get it out and get young people to participate because this is something that you don’t get the opportunity to do often. And especially if it is in your country, then you want to get as much Belizean participation as possible. So…really highlighting the best and brightest young people of Belize which we have a lot of.”

Duane Moody for News Five.

Persons between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five can apply by simply accessing the DYS page on Facebook or Instagram or visit their website to find out more about being a part of the World Youth Conference.