“It is important to empower youth here in Barbados and around the region, by creating spaces and opportunities for their voices to be heard and their impact to be felt – spaces where they can advocate for themselves and for others.” says British High Commissioner to Barbados, H.E. Scott Furssedonn-Wood.

To mark International Women’s Day 2024, the British High Commission and the High Commission of Canada will once again be partnering to promote youth advocacy and empowerment among Barbadian youth by hosting a ‘Diplomat for a Day’ competition.

The initiative will culminate with a full-day program for four outstanding candidates hosted by H.E. Scott Furssedonn-Wood, British High Commissioner, and H.E. Lilian Chatterjee, High Commissioner of Canada, on IWD on Friday 8th March 2024.

In keeping with the IWD social media theme #InspireInclusion, the competition is open to all citizens of Barbados aged 16 to 24 years old and it’s running now until 4th February 2024. The successful candidates are expected to be highly motivated young leaders who are committed to advancing gender equality and promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in Barbados.

High Commissioner of Canada, H.E. Lilian Chatterjee notes “Youth play an essential role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and building a better world for their generation and future ones. ‘Diplomat for a Day’ provides a platform for meaningful youth engagement on contemporary and often complex issues by highlighting the importance of diplomacy in building a more inclusive, peaceful, and prosperous global community. Canada is proud to partner with the UK to advance gender equality and ‘inspire inclusion’ among Barbadian youth.”

The British High Commission and the High Commission of Canada believe that this initiative provides an opportunity for cross-cultural engagement, knowledge transfer and networking for young persons.

The application form and additional information about ‘Diplomat for a Day’ can be found on Twitter/X: @UKinCaribbean & @CanHCBarbados; or Instagram: @UKinCaribbean & @canadabarbad.