SUVA – Today, the Embassy of the United States of America launched its newest youth initiative with the establishment of the Embassy Youth Council. The council will be part of a larger advisory network to promote and empower the youth of the five countries covered by Embassy Suva, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Members of the Embassy Youth Council are a diverse group that will work in collaboration progressing our aspiring leaders of today who are vital to the Pacific’s continued development.
U.S. Ambassador Joseph Cella remarked, “The Youth Council will serve as a bridge between U.S. Embassy Suva and the youth in the region. Members of this inaugural council will assist in guiding broad outreach programs and promote leadership skills. Together we will find innovative and appropriate solutions to youth challenges, strengthen youth leadership, as well as amplify youth voices.”
The Youth Council through its membership will advise the U.S. Embassy on how to develop effective youth engagement, promote an inclusive and vibrant civil society, strengthen youth leadership, enhance community service activities, and create a space to build the robust partnership between our respective countries.
As part of the launch, Ambassador Cella and the newly-inducted Youth Council members planted a dedicatory tree on the Embassy grounds to mark the beginnings of the Youth Council and to symbolize the growing relationships that will stem from this Embassy Youth Council.