Basseterre, St. Kitts - Nearly two hundred young people from across the Caribbean will meet in St. Kitts this weekend for the annual Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) conference.  An annual event coordinated by the Rotary Clubs in District 7030, RYLA 2010 mission is to motivate and train the youth to take charge by sensitizing, educating and listening to them with respect to current issues affecting Caribbean communities.

Chair of the RYLA 2010 Planning Committee, Past Assistant Governor, Leah Sahely, said that there was overwhelming interest from local participants.  “We were oversubscribed by local participants, receiving as many as 146 registrants when we only had placement for 100.  We believe that this is testimony to the attention that was generated from the work of the organizing committee to drum up interest in this year’s conference.”  She indicated that although tremendous work is involved in organizing a conference of this size, she was confident that everything is in place for a weekend of learning and networking among the future leaders of the Caribbean.

Included in the programme of activities over the three-day period would be a number of presentations to support the theme “Youth Taking Charge”. Some of the presenters include Dr Kathleen Allen-Ferdinand, Mr Ron Collins, Dr Errol Samuels, Mr Daniel Arthurton and Honourable Curtis Martin.  Presentations will address topical issues like the environment, gangs, crimes and drug abuse, sex and sexuality and the family.

The conference begins with an opening ceremony at the International University of Nursing on Friday 29th October at 6:30pm.  Remarks are expected by the Honourable Hensley Daniel and the Honourable Glenn Phillip as well as District Governor, Tony Watkins.  Delegates would be entertained by the National Youth Drum Corp as part of the programme of the opening event.

As is customary at RYLA Conferences, delegates will be engaged in several community projects in both St. Kitts & Nevis as part of giving back to the host island.  In St. Kitts, delegates will be actively involved in a beach cleanup, visit to the Cardin Home and rehabilitation of the War Memorial while in Nevis they will assist with the planting of flamboyant trees at schools, visit to the Flamboyant Home for the elderly and repairing and replanting Rotary signs on that island among other activities.

Major sponsorship for RYLA 2010 conference was provided by Digicel and the Advancement of Children Foundation.

ENDS