Caribbean nationals shine in 2025 Commonwealth Youth Awards

Twenty young changemakers from across the Commonwealth have been named finalists for the 2025 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work, with Caribbean nationals standing out among the contenders.

The prestigious awards recognize young leaders making exceptional contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and driving development in their communities. The winners, including the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, will be announced at a special ceremony on 12 March 2025, hosted by Commonwealth Secretary-General The Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC. The event will be live-streamed on YouTube and Facebook. This year, the selection process attracted over 800 applicants, with a panel of 54 Pan-Commonwealth adjudicators narrowing the field down to 20 finalists. Among them are four outstanding young leaders from the Caribbean:

• Joshua Andall (Grenada)
• Kache Hanna (The Bahamas)
• Nicholas Kee (Jamaica)
• Romario Simpson (Jamaica)

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland praised the finalists, stating, “Our young people have shown genuine innovation and commitment in striving to make the Commonwealth fairer, more secure, more sustainable, and more prosperous. Their projects demonstrate the great potential of 1.7 billion young people across the Commonwealth.”

Caribbean trailblazers in the spotlight

The awards, a key initiative of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Programme, provide a global platform to empower, engage, and amplify the voices of young leaders across the 56 member states. This year, the Khalili Foundation and the Commonwealth Foundation have partnered to expand the reach of the finalists’ work and help scale their initiatives. Layne Robinson, the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Head of Social Policy Development, emphasized the importance of young people in addressing global challenges. “The Commonwealth continues to celebrate young people as valuable assets to society—problem solvers addressing global challenges with creativity and courage,” he said. The Youth Awards will be a central event in the Commonwealth Day celebrations on 10 March 2025, uniting millions across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, the Americas, the Pacific, and Europe.

What’s next?

The awards will be presented at Marlborough House, the headquarters of the Commonwealth Secretariat, in the presence of senior government officials, youth leaders, and key stakeholders. In addition to the Commonwealth Youth Awards, five exceptional young individuals will be honored with the PEACE Awards, presented by the Khalili Foundation, recognizing contributions toward a more peaceful and equitable world. Each PEACE Award recipient will receive £2,000 to support their initiatives. With Caribbean youth taking a prominent role in this year’s awards, the region continues to demonstrate the power of its young leaders in driving progress, innovation, and sustainable development. Tune in to the 2025 Commonwealth Youth Awards Ceremony live on 12 March to celebrate the achievements of these inspiring young changemakers.