Caribbean XChangers meet in Belize

It’s been almost one year since the launch of the XChange movement in Belize, and today XChangers from around the Caribbean gathered at the Belize City House of Culture to celebrate their achievements and plan for success.

Rana Flowers, Country Representative, UNICEF Belize
?XChange is a positive movement of change for young people across the Caribbean. It?s a movement that was initiated because of the violence young people were suffering. It?s because of the need to reach young people with messages on HIV protection, on getting involved in gangs, on drug abuse, on teenage pregnancy and all the issues that we see so prolific here in Belize. So it?s a movement that says enough preaching at young people, let?s engage young people in a discussion. Let?s find out for ourselves from the young people what their ideas are with regards to the issues that are affecting them.?

Alyssa Noble, Reporting
According to many of the XChangers present today, the important issues are well known.

Herbert Wiltshire, Youth Mobilization Coordinator, XChange
?Looking at these issues, the main one that jumps out is crime and violence. XChange is a movement to bring about positive change among young people. And through this we want to create a culture, and by saying a new culture, a new culture of peace and non-violence especially among young people and adolescents.?

Orlando Hamilton, XChanger, Jamaica
?What we set out to do is really to equip youth with the messages where violence is concerned to become peaceful human beings, preaching positive messages, practicing positive lifestyles and not until the youth in my country can really stand up for peace and practice positive lifestyles. Not until the youth in the region stand up for peace and practice positive lifestyles will I be satisfied with the whole movement.?

And it seems that many of his colleagues share the same sentiment.

Cordel Hyde, Minister of Youth and Sports
?I think in this particular programme, it?s an opportunity where these young people get together to express themselves freely and openly. They are working on positive issues trying to uplift themselves and by extension their communities, their societies, and our country. So I think we have to endorse a system, an organisation that?s seek to improve the lot of young people and by extension our nation.?

Government has pledged its support and commitment to the Movement and XChange is inviting all Belizean youths to become more involved.

Herbert Wiltshire
?XChange movement is here and it doesn?t begin with anybody else, but it begins with you. And it?s up to you as a young person to be more proactive and to participate. And this is my invitation to you to come and participate in the XChange programme. You can contact us at the UNICEF office, just call and ask for me and we will be willing and able to engage you. Come on guys this is for us young people.?

Reporting for News five, I am Alyssa Noble.

The Workshop runs through Thursday.