SEVEN young Guyanese, aged 15 to 18, will be representing Guyana as they travel to the United States of America (USA) for a three-week exchange programme.

Representing Guyana this year are Mia Barker, Abosaide Cadogan, Brianna Gopie, Vish Kistama, Shimron Ram, Beauty Razack and Swasti Saytoo.

The seven youth ambassadors will be accompanied by one adult mentor, Laurel Seales, as they engage with their peers from countries across the Caribbean.

The exchange programme, organised under the theme “Social Transformation and Civic Engagement”, will focus on specific issues facing youths across the region.

The youths were selected from a large pool of applicants after going through an interview process. They join a cadre of youth leaders who have been part of the Youth Ambassadors Programme (YAP) since September 2012.

Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch and Deputy Chief of Mission Mark Cullinane met recently with the 2019 youth ambassadors who will represent Guyana in the YAP.

“After listening to the participants share their diverse perspectives on issues affecting youth, Ambassador Sarah Ann-Lynch noted that this programme provides a platform for each participant to develop and enhance their ability to make positive contributions and provide solutions to the very issues affecting their communities,” the U.S. Embassy in Georgetown said.

The ambassador also congratulated the new batch of youth ambassadors and shared with them, some of the responsibilities of the title “ambassador”.

When the young Guyanese return at the end of August, they are expected to complete a “follow-on” project, which is a community service-oriented project.

Through this project, the participants will use the skills garnered during the exchange to create a positive impact on their communities.