Youth Engagement at the Forefront: "OECS In the Classroom School Tour" Successfully Completed in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

As part of its 44th Anniversary celebrations, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission successfully concluded the 2025 edition of the OECS in the Classroom School Tour in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The initiative, held from June 11th to 12th, 2025, brought the message of regional unity and integration directly to the youth, the future custodians of the OECS Vision.

The successful OECS in the Classroom School Tour was hosted by the OECS Commission in collaboration with the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the International Organization of Migration (IOM) Caribbean Office and the OECS Regional Integration for Growth Harmonisation and Technology (RIGHT) Programme. It forms part of the OECS Commission's ongoing work to engage and empower the youth as well as promote regional integration and free movement. In particular, key ongoing youth engagement efforts of the OECS include the OECS Youth Empowerment Strategy (YES) and the inclusion of youth representatives by inviting them to participate in national dialogue that shapes the future they will inherit, at meetings such as the OECS Council of Ministers: Education.

This year's anniversary theme, "Adapting, Innovating, Sustaining: A Unified OECS for a Changing World", provided a powerful backdrop to the student-centred engagements at four secondary schools: the St. Vincent Girls' High School, Sion Hill Government School, St. Martin's Secondary School and Questelles Government School.

The school tour was led by technical officers from the OECS Commission: Ms. Loverly Anthony, Head of Communications, Dr. Clarence Henry, Head (Ag.) Regional Integration Unit, and Ms. Shekeri Gravillis, Technical Specialist- Regional Integration. They facilitated dynamic and interactive sessions with students. These sessions focused on the work of the OECS, particularly the benefits and opportunities of regional integration and the Free Movement of Persons, key pillars of the OECS' mission.

Students engaged in lively discussion, posed thoughtful questions, and offered their perspectives on the future of the region. The tour fostered an environment of mutual exchange, highlighting the importance of youth voices in shaping a more inclusive and integrated Caribbean.

"The school tour reflects our commitment not just to informing, but to inspiring the next generation," said Dr Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS. "By stepping into classrooms and connecting directly with students, we are building awareness and ownership of the OECS vision among our young people."

The OECS In the Classroom initiative continues to be a meaningful way for the OECS Commission to commemorate its anniversary milestones, while deepening engagement with youth across Member States.

The OECS will continue its 44th anniversary celebrations throughout the month of June with a series of public activities aimed at reinforcing regional solidarity and promoting the contributions of the OECS to the integration and sustainable development of the Eastern Caribbean.