PRESS RELEASE – THE Commonwealth Youth Peace Ambassadors Network, in commemoration of International Day of Peace and Saint Lucia Business Month 2018, seeks to host its’ annual CYPAN Discourse.
The International Day of Peace is celebrated annually on September 21st.
The General Assembly has declared this as the day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.
This year’s International Day of Peace was celebrated under the theme: The Right to Peace – “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70”.
As an organization whose mandate is to remain in keeping with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 on youth, peace and security, we continue to optimize grass roots initiatives to provide youth with inclusive opportunities to speak on issues which impact sustainable development.
The day also marks the launch of the CYPAN Discourse 2018, being held in partnership with the Department of Commerce, under the Saint Lucia Business Month banner of the theme “Sustainable Enterprises – People, Planet and Profit.
This initiative took flight in the year 2017 and has received an endorsement from of the Department of Commerce, the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development and the Department of Youth Development and Sports.
In 2017, organizations such as The Department of Youth Development and Sports, Invest Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia Social Development Fund, The Sandals Foundation and Phonebay Inc provided much support to ensure the event’s success.
As such, youth were allowed the opportunity to speak to the theme “Promoting an Entrepreneurial Culture – Innovation & Creativity, Together for Peace; Respect, Safety and Dignity for all. This discourse witnessed the attendance of eighty (80) stakeholders.
This year’s CYPAN Discourse will be held under the theme; “The Right to Peace; Through Sustainable Enterprises – People, Planet and Profit.”
This topic is a critical one as small island developing states are confronted by natural disasters inflicted by the prevalence in climate change. Those states are afflicted by economic difficulties and instability when such disasters arise.
Nations, people and enterprises are to adopt new strategies to respond to climate change mitigation and adaptation in order to manage risk or interference with productivity, performance, people and profits.
Thus far, key stakeholders such as The Community Family and Youth Resilience Program through the PAN American Development Foundation, The Saint Lucia Social Development Fund and The Print Factory and Phonebay Inc has pledged their support to the initiative.
The first phase of the CYPAN Discourse calls for youth with the age range (15 – 18) to submit one a one (1) minute video on the topic “The Right to Peace; Through Sustainable Enterprises – People, Planet and Profit” stating what it means to them. The time period for the submission of the videos span from September 21st 2018 – October 15th 2018.
The qualifiers of this discourse will undergo a training and mentorship session in key areas as it relates to Climate Action, Public Speaking and The Psychological Impact of Climate Change to better prepare them for constructive engagement with their audience.
The Final stage of competition will adopt the format of a closed session discourse. Each participant will be allotted five (5) minutes to present on the topic ‘The Right to Peace; Through Sustainable Enterprises – People, Planet and Profit’.
CYPAN Saint Lucia is most pleased to execute this educational event on a theme that is critically needed in our society.
The participants from this discourse will have an opportunity to contribute to our peace-building fabric and our business community, serve as Peace Ambassadors for CYPAN in our community outreach programme dubbed “Teach Peace, Reach Peace”.
Most importantly, it will stir advocacy among youth and empower the participants, likewise the audience on the need for a sustainable peace building business society.