Generation Unlimited launches in Trinidad and Tobago, 500,000 young people to benefit

PORT OF SPAIN, August 12, 2021 - Trinidad and Tobago has officially become the first country in the Eastern Caribbean to join Generation Unlimited (GenU) – a global public-private-youth partnership on a mission to skill the world’s 1.8 billion young people and connect them to opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and social impact.

Foster Cummings, Minister of Youth Development and National Service, and Dr. Aloys Kamuragiye, UNICEF Representative (signing on behalf of the UN) on Tuesday inked the agreement which will see over 500,000 young people in Trinidad and Tobago benefit from Generation Unlimited’s ambitious goal to upskill youth and connect them with employment, entrepreneurship & social impact opportunities.

Minister Cummings noted that the signing and launch of Generation Unlimited is being closely aligned with Trinidad and Tobago’s national youth strategy which aims at prioritizing young people’s economic participation and empowerment, harnessing their social and intellectual capital, and creating an enabling environment for positive youth development across the nation.

“Our goal is to equip thousands of young men and women with the tools necessary for their personal development; and empower them with the skills that ensure they stand a fighting chance of success in this ever-changing global economic climate,” said Minister Cummings, adding that “this undertaking demonstrates our nexus with GenU, in helping to build the capacity of young people so they can realize their fullest potential.”

Speaking at the virtual event, Dr Kevin Frey, Chief Executive Officer of Generation Unlimited, said that while young people across the globe possess unlimited potential, too many are being left behind by education and training systems that are not keeping pace with developments and by economies that were not offering enough entrepreneurial opportunities.“

"We need to turn the tide fast if the promise of this generation is to be realized,” said Frey. “If global leaders and institutions come together to invest in supporting young people and their ambitions, we will transform lives not only for young people themselves but also for our societies and economies. Young people are the central agents of change for this world and torchbearers of the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals],” he maintained.

Dr Frey added that he was happy that Trinidad and Tobago would be the leading pioneer for the initiative in the Caribbean, inspiring a GenU movement with and for young people and increasing their opportunities to fulfil their potential across all countries in the region.

Dr Kamuragiye committed the UN to working with a wide cross-section of partners to make Generation Unlimited impactful in Trinidad and Tobago and beyond.

The Caribbean-wide GenU partnership, which brings together multiple partners including the UN, governments, and the private sector, will be launched across the Caribbean in October 2021