In a significant development at the second Africa-CARICOM Summit, the Youth Charter has issued a Global Call to Action, urging leaders to fully integrate young people into the dialogue on reparatory justice and transcontinental partnership.
The summit, held under the theme ‘Transcontinental Partnership in Pursuit of Reparatory Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations’, provides a crucial platform for addressing historical and systemic injustices.
Building on three decades of work in leveraging sport, arts, culture, and digital engagement, the Youth Charter’s call aligns with the summit’s focus on political, economic, and cultural collaboration.
It implores governments and institutions across both continents and the wider diaspora to invest in youth through education and skills, champion reparatory justice by supporting restorative programs, and establish “Community Campuses” that use creative and digital tools to foster opportunity.
Additionally, the call underscored the importance of strengthening connections between African and Caribbean youth and ensuring all their efforts contribute to the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Africa’s Agenda 2063.
As Youth Charter Founder and Chair, Prof. Geoff Thompson, said, the summit is not just a political milestone but a “call to action for young people of Africa and the diaspora to inherit, shape, and lead the future”.
As a lasting legacy of the summit, the Youth Charter will work with the African Union and CARICOM to advance its Community Campus Model, ensuring the voices and creativity of young people are central to achieving true reparatory justice and sustainable development.
