By Latrishka Thomas
Latrishka.thomas@antiguaobserver.com
Young people were told they hold their own future in their hands when the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China hosted youth parliamentarians from across the Eastern Caribbean for a cultural evening on Tuesday.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Osbert Frederick, speaking to the delegates at the close of a day of youth parliament debates, said the future of the region’s young people rested with them.
“You might be saying, ‘Mr. Frederick, what does my future hold?’ The answer is simple. It’s in your hands,” Frederick said. “God bless you. Go forward, conquer the world,” he charged.
Frederick added that he had spent part of the day in Parliament listening to the youth delegates and concluded that “the future, the political future of this country is in good hands”.
The event was hosted by Chinese Ambassador Zhan Yanling, who said the evening was intended to foster greater understanding between young people from China and the region.
“Young people represent the future of the countries and of the world,” the Ambassador said. She noted that although technology had made it easier to stay in touch, “true mutual understanding and knowledge of one another have become more difficult.”
“Without face-to-face dialogue, misunderstanding and uncertainty often take root,” she said. “How we see each other matters. How we understand different development paths matters.”
The Ambassador said the reception was intended to strengthen friendships between young people from China and the region, and she called it “a new starting point to learn more about China and to know one another better.”
President of the National Youth Parliament Association Ezekiel Francois thanked the Embassy for hosting the group and said the young people had faced doubt about their abilities.
“Never let anybody tell you that you can’t,” Francois said. “They told us that we couldn’t have been sitting today but look where we are right now.”
He called on the delegates to stay united. “We need to continue to foster development. We need to continue to foster unity. Unity is how we’re going to continue to make this world a better place,” he said.
United Progressive Party Senator Malaka Parker, who also attended, told Observer Media that she was impressed by the young delegates and had watched their debates in Parliament earlier that day.
“I’d be very biased, because I’m biased to young people,” Parker said. “I sat in those seats, and I remember my journey being one of freedom and wanting to change the world. That type of optimism and belief in one’s ability to make a difference, it’s always good to be in a room with people that feel that way.”
She said she was encouraged by what she heard. “I saw that youthful passion and vigour,” she said. “That is always refreshing for society.”
The evening included Chinese music, dance, art and interactive demonstrations. Guests took part in calligraphy and traditional Chinese paper art and tried on traditional Chinese clothing. A robotic cyber dog performing tricks on stage was among the highlights.
Also in attendance were Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle and youth parliamentarians from across the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.
