Young leaders from across the region made history this week as the inaugural sitting of the Eastern Caribbean Youth Assembly (ECYA) took place inside the National Assembly Chambers of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The event, hosted by the St. Kitts National Youth Parliament Association (SKNYPA) in collaboration with the National Youth Parliament Association of Antigua and Barbuda (NYPAAB), brought together youth parliamentarians for a day of debate and exchange on some of the Caribbean’s most pressing challenges.

At the heart of the sitting was a resolution calling for stronger regional action on environmental resilience and sustainable development. Delegates took to the floor of Parliament to deliver impassioned arguments, highlighting the vulnerability of small island states to climate change and the urgent need for collective strategies to build resilience.

In a unique twist, participants also shadowed ministerial portfolios, assuming the roles of government ministers and opposition members. This exercise gave them firsthand insight into the responsibilities of leadership while allowing them to propose bold, youth-driven solutions to regional issues.

The inaugural ECYA was widely regarded as a success, setting the stage for future assemblies and reinforcing the message that young people must be partners in shaping the sustainable development agenda of the Eastern Caribbean.