Santo Domingo. The University of the Caribbean (UNICARIBE) participated in the XIV Regional Forum on Youth and Democracy, organized by JuventudLAC – Latin American Youth Network for Democracy, along with the commemoration of the 18th anniversary of the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CAPP). Both events, aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and 17 (Partnerships to Achieve the Goals), were held in Punta Cana, from December 2 to 4, 2025, bringing together prominent actors committed to the defense of democracy and human rights in Latin America.

Among those present was Rosa María Payá, founder of Cuba Decide and recently elected as the youngest person to hold the position of commissioner of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the OAS, a historic milestone for democratic youth in the region. Also participating were Víctor “Ito” Bisonó, Minister of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes of the Dominican Republic and president of CAPP; Tony Garrastazu, director for Latin America and the Caribbean of the International Republican Institute (IRI); Henning Suhr, representative of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS) in the Dominican Republic; Julio Obiglio, president of the Union of Latin American Parties (UPLA); and Jatzel Román, executive vice president of CAPP and presidential commissioner for Migration in the Dominican Republic, in addition to academics, diplomats and youth leaders from across Latin America.

UNICARIBE was represented by María José Brito, Coordinator of the Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Management and Renewable Energies, who was a special guest of JuventudLAC due to her experience in youth leadership, sustainability, public innovation and citizen training. Her participation allowed positioning the university within a hemispheric space where democratic organizations, think tanks and international political networks converge.

These civil society dialogues are part of the preparatory processes for the X Summit of the Americas, which will also be held in Punta Cana, and in which UNICARIBE aspires to have a direct impact with proposals on Renewable Energy and Energy Security. The university’s participation in these conversations is strategic, as it allows the articulation of ideas arising from the academic sphere with hemispheric debates, facilitating that the initiatives and projects developed by students can be transformed into long-term public policy proposals, aligned with the energy and environmental priorities of the region.

During her speech, Ms. Brito stressed the importance of universities, as fundamental actors of civil society, to actively participate in regional spaces for dialogue and decision making, noting that “academia has an essential role in the formation of citizenship, critical thinking and leadership capable of strengthening our democracies. UNICARIBE’s presence in this forum broadens our international projection and connects our students with high-level debates that are currently shaping the course of the region.

UNICARIBE’s participation in the Youth and Democracy Forum and in the celebration of CAPP’s anniversary reaffirms the institutional commitment to the training of professionals capable of promoting innovative solutions to the democratic, institutional and social challenges facing Latin America.

Author:
Abg. María José Brito – Environmental Management and Renewable Energies.