BACKGROUND

The Youth Political and Civic Engagement Cohort is one of the multi stakeholder platforms launched as part of the Year of Action after the first Summit for Democracy of December 2021.

Youth political involvement was not high on the agenda of the participating countries during the Summit for Democracy's early phases. According to the Democracy Dashboard, only six countries approved youth pledges during the first Summit for Democracy, which emphasized the importance of developing a strong and active group to place youth on the global democracy agenda.

Since its launch September 2022, the Cohort has gathered organisations from all continents to take meaningful action to implement the Summit for Democracy commitments on youth political participation through actions, resources, knowledge, research etc..

The government of Costa Rica, co-leading the Youth Democracy Cohort has chosen the theme of Promoting the role of youth in political and democratic spaces for its co-hosted event as part of the Summit for Democracy 2, giving the Youth Democracy Cohort the ideal occasion to gather its member organisations, governments and beyond to :

• mobilize young participants from Central America and globally

• discuss the challenges of youth participation in democratic spaces,

• present the work of the Youth Democracy Cohort during the year of action

• work on specific solutions through which governments can prioritize youth political and civic engagement and consider the asset youth represent to give a momentum to our democracies.

AGENDA

This morning session will consist of a panel of young activists and politicians from Central America. After a presentation of the political context in Central America, the panelists who are Alumni from NIMD Democracy Schools from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras will explain the reasons of their engagement, present their organisations and their work in the region, the challenges they face and also the strength Youth represents in the Central American region.

10:00-10:10

Introductory words from Kristel Ward Hudson - Vice-Minister of Youth

10:10-10:20

Presentation on barriers to youth participation by Gracia Grande NIMD El Salvador

10:20-11:00

Panel discussion with alumni from NIMD Democracy Schools Nestor Ventura from El Salvador, Abner Abisaid Brito Ferrera from Honduras, & Maria Fernelly Arroche from Guatemala moderated by Kristel Ward Hudson, Vice Minister of Youth of Costa Rica.

The discussion will be followed by a 30 mn Q&A session

11:40

Concluding words

Lunch Break

13:00-13:10

Introductory words by Camilla Pia Gonzalez Rodriguez from Juventud LAC

13:10-13:45

Presentation of the deliverables of the youth cohort

• The Menu of Possible Commitments by Aisha Dabo from AfricTivistes

• OFFICIAL PRESENTATION of the Handbook on Youth Engagement EDYN and EPD with Daryna Onyshko EDYN president and Anne Badji EPD

13:45-14:25

Panel discussion: Youth Forward, implementing commitments for more youth engagement : What are the opportunities for advocating for adoption by participating countries ?

With Jean Costedoat-Miossec from the European Commission, Willice Onyango from The Youth Cafe and Olga Caballero from Alma Civica, moderated by Ken Godfrey EPD director.