Grand Cayman – 11 August 2026 – On Wednesday, 12 August, the Youth Services Unit (YSU) is will host its annual International Youth Day Celebration under the theme, “Youth Advancing Multilateral Cooperation Through Technology and Partnerships.” The event will take place at the Intergenerational Hub, 131 MacLendon Drive from 12:30PM to 3:30PM. Children, teens and families are invited to attend this free event and can RSVP online.
The celebration, which seeks to emphasise the importance of partnerships in achieving meaningful and balanced development; will welcome youth to commemorate the occasion with a fun day of socialising, boardgames, a free Game Truck, and interactive information booths with partners such as Department of eGovernment, the National Drug Council, Lions Club of Tropical Gardens, Inclusion Cayman, the National Youth Commission and the Department of Children and Family Services.
The 2026 International Youth Day theme speaks to young people’s ability to leverage technology for driving innovation and building partnerships. This year’s celebration will highlight the importance of youth participation, leadership and empowerment through
sustainable development. It will also explore how young people can use technology to connect, collaborate and influence communities far beyond the Cayman Islands.
Honourable Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage, Isaac Rankine, will deliver remarks on the role of young people as active participants and decision-makers in society.
Minister Rankine said, “This International Youth Day, we are reminded of the pivotal role technology can play in developing our youth into innovative leaders. While advocacy programmes like our CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, Cayman Islands Youth Assembly, and the Youth Parliament have traditionally provided young people with a platform to use their voices on important issues, we are now seeing more youth use social media, online forums, podcasts and other technologies to share their perspectives and engage in issues affecting our community. This has been incredibly beneficial in helping them to increase reach and visibility, not locally but internationally.
Head of Youth Services Unit, Mrs. Mellony Bryan-Waugh, said, “To empower young people requires a shared commitment from both youth and adults, including parents, educators, community leaders, and policymakers. Our role is to ensure that young people have the guidance, resources and opportunities needed to use technology responsibly and participate meaningfully in society.”