Carter Center Sponsors Guyana Youth Empowerment Forum

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Melanie Reimer
In Guyana, 592-227-4096, or

Kay Torrance
In Atlanta, 404-420-5129

Georgetown, Guyana…..More than 90 participants attended the Carter Center Guyana's second Youth Empowerment Forum Saturday, June 7, aimed at raising participation by youth in decision-making and governance, mobilizing young people to become volunteers, and supporting development of future community leaders. Particular attention was paid to developing strategies to assist in enhancing youth input to government policy at the highest levels.

The forum was held at the Bermine Training Center in New Amsterdam. The participants, from Regions 5 and 6, represented youth organizations, secondary schools, and other entities focusing on youth issues, from both rural and urban areas. Participants from each regional forum will be selected to attend the national youth forum in September 2003.

A highlight of Saturday's event was the role-plays by the Creative Theater Movement, who demonstrated how volunteering benefits the community. Special guest speakers included Brian King, youth officer for Region 6, and Alex Foster, president of St. Francis Community Developers and the Friends of St. Francis. Each participant was provided with an information sourcebook to pass on new knowledge to others in his communities and in carrying out follow-up activities agreed upon at the forum.

The forum was organized under the auspices of the U.S. Agency for International Development's program More Responsive and Participatory Governance and Rule of Law in Guyana. Through this program, The Carter Center is working to strengthen the judicial system and the capacity of civil society or not-for-profit organizations in Guyana to contribute to public debate and public policy-making, with a focus on organizations that involve and assist women, youth, and Amerindians. The Carter Center is working with the National Democratic Institute and the International Foundation for Election Systems in the overall project. NDI supports legislative and local government reforms, while IFES provides technical assistance on electoral administration.

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