Washington, D.C. April 24, 2026 — The Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), an international organization working in cooperation with the Organization of American States (OAS), successfully concluded the first In-Person Module of the 2026 Leadership Labs. This week of intensive training and dialogue with authorities and experts brought together young leaders from across the region, who strengthened their capacities in diplomacy, multilateralism, and hemispheric leadership.
The In-Person Module in Washington, D.C., is a key component of the Leadership Labs Program, a flagship YABT initiative designed to empower young leaders across the Americas with essential skills in diplomacy, negotiation, and international cooperation through a tailored, theoretical-practical curriculum.
The opening and welcoming ceremony featured the participation of Luis Viguria, Chief Executive Officer of YABT, and H.E. Laura Gil, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, who officially welcomed the participants, setting the stage for a week focused on complementing and applying everything they have been learning throughout the training program.
With the objective of providing a comprehensive vision and understanding the evolution of the Inter-American System and the OAS, as well as the composition and functioning of its various organs and dependencies, we had the participation of Luis Toro Utillano, Interim Director of the Department of International Law of the OAS.
In addition, the youth had the opportunity to interact with H.E. Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the United States to the OAS, who delivered a Keynote Lecture titled “Result-Based Alliances in the Americas”, encouraging the next generation to drive impact, accountability, and collaboration to strengthen and better connect our region. Ambassador Rizzuto encouraged the young leaders to be agents of change who contribute to scaling impact across the region. Additionally, he shared his personal and professional experiences regarding his vision of responsibility and commitment to one’s actions and objectives.
The first day concluded with a presentation by Mike Mora from the OAS Department for Effective Public Management, who spoke on government efficiency and regional collaboration, as well as the work of the OAS School of Government in professional training for key public administration topics.
The World Bank was the starting point for the second day. Sara De Lorenzo, from the Youth Employment Solutions Alliance team, presented new approaches to youth employment models and the recent “What Works for Work” Report. She highlighted that a solid education and a good first job is fundamental to progressing in one’s career path. A good start makes it easier for young people to climb the career ladder throughout their entire working lives, De Lorenzo pointed out.
Next, Francis Dobbs and Inês Silva Araújo from Connect4Climate presented their alliance established with 500 global partners to co-create innovative, sustainable, and intergenerational solutions. At the same time, they introduced the Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador Program, inviting the youth to participate as an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the planet’s most urgent development challenges and to collaborate on innovating effective solutions.”
The second day culminated with a visit to the Atlantic Council, where the youth participated in a roundtable discussion led by Valeria Villarreal, Associate Director of the Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, accompanied by a group of experts from the center. The discussion centered on key issues affecting young people in the economic and political spheres, contributing to a reflective dialogue and action-oriented steps from the perspective of youth participation with a focus on the future.
The third day began with a visit to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Luis Simon shared the IDB’s strategy and priorities for investing in the development plans of its member countries, promoting policies and action frameworks that contribute to well-being, poverty reduction, and private sector development. Specialists from the Human Resources Department presented internship and professional development programs for young people, creating opportunities within the IDB Group, both in corporate and operations-for-impact areas.
One of the program’s highlights was the Meeting with Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives to the OAS, moderated by Valerie Lorena, Executive Director of YABT. Participants included Amb. Néstor Méndez, Permanent Representative of Belize to the OAS; Amb. Wendy Acevedo Castillo, Permanent Representative of El Salvador to the OAS; Amb. Mayerlyn Cordero Díaz, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the OAS; and Amb. Alejandro Encinas, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the OAS. The conversation allowed participants to interact directly with high-level diplomats, deepening their understanding of the organization’s political and technical work. Topics such as migration, education, inclusion, gender equality, and the importance of multilateralism in promoting regional integration and cooperation were addressed, incorporating the youth perspective into the regional development agenda-building processes.
The agenda continued with the panel “Integral Development in the Americas”, where César Parga, Chief of the OAS Competitiveness, Innovation, and Technology Section, addressed economic opportunities and youth innovation as drivers of employment, presenting the Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) Program and the Cooperanet platform, among other programs promoting productive transformation. This was followed by Luz Ángela Serrano, Development Cooperation Specialist at the OAS, who explained how development cooperation is implemented within the OAS, its bodies and mandates, and the definition of priorities within the strategic plan, emphasizing the OAS Development Cooperation Fund.
The third day culminated with an open dialogue between H.E. Laura Gil, Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, and the youth participants. It was a transparent and sincere conversation that addressed topics such as her perspective on gender, her personal experience in leadership and as a diplomat, and her recommendation to remain perseverant in complex situations while always trusting one’s path. Ambassador Gil also invited the young leaders not only to take a seat at the table but also to ensure that they are taken into account.
On the fourth day, the youth learned about professional and internship opportunities at the OAS General Secretariat, presented by Bruna dos Santos from the OAS Human Resources Department. Subsequently, Mariette Vidal presented the work carried out by the OAS Interdepartmental Group on Youth, created under the leadership of the Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador Albert R. Ramdin. The agenda continued with a presentation by Gerardo de Icaza, Director of the Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO/OAS), who spoke on the process and context of electoral cooperation and the OAS Electoral Observation Missions. Additionally, he shared key elements regarding the composition of an electoral observation mission, the reports generated and presented to the Permanent Council, and the follow-up on the recommendations resulting from them.
The participants had the opportunity to interact with Ambassador Ana Irene Delgado, Permanent Representative of Panama to the OAS, who presented the work and objectives outlined ahead of the 56th OAS General Assembly, as well as the importance of commemorating the Bicentennial of the Amphictyonic Congress of Panama of 1826. At the same time, she highlighted the role of youth in the legacy of this historical milestone within an inclusive vision, characterized by their participation and energy. During this open dialogue with the participants, Ambassador Delgado explained Panama’s recent law on paid professional internships for youth in the private sector to acquire their first work experience. Furthermore, she emphasized sports as a tool for social and economic integration for young people, sharing her personal experience as a Panamanian athlete. The exchange also provided insight into her perspective on multilateralism and working with youth to strengthen it.
Darinka Vásquez, from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), delivered a session on inclusive digital transformation and artificial intelligence for human development. Her presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the impact of artificial intelligence on grassroots development, empowering communities and creating greater synergies among multi-sectoral local actors, as well as the challenges we must face given the global growth and adoption of this technology.
The day concluded with the presence of Ambassador Alejandra Solano, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica and Chair of the OAS Permanent Council, who shared her vision on the role of youth in building an inclusive and resilient hemispheric agenda. She also addressed the process involved in defining priorities within the Inter-American agenda, citing the case of Costa Rica with its environmental protection policies and initiatives that promote the exchange of experiences among OAS Member States. A topic she emphasized with special focus was mental health in the Americas, a mandate emanating from the OAS General Assembly; she noted that during her tenure as Chair of the Permanent Council, consultations with Member States will be promoted to explore potential avenues for advancing the implementation of this mandate.
The in-person module of the Leadership Labs concluded at Georgetown University, where the youth participated in the international conference “Engaging Young People as Partners: 25 Years of Global Youth Development and the Path Forward”, which featured the presentation of findings from the report ‘Engaging Young People As Partners in Policy and Practice’ (April 2026). At the same time, the young participants had the opportunity to interact with global leaders in youth development through interactive roundtables and networking sessions.
Throughout the week, the Leadership Labs proved to be an outstanding program for learning, dialogue, and networking. Participants highlighted the quality of the sessions, the proximity to high-level authorities, and the opportunity to gain a practical understanding of how multilateral decisions impacting the region are built.
We highlight the decisive role of Universidad Anáhuac Querétaro through its Leadership Program, which contributed significantly to the outstanding participation of youth from Querétaro, Mexico. Likewise, we emphasize the support and guidance provided by the Consejo Nacional de la Primera Infancia, Niñez y Adolescencia (CONAPINA) of the National Government of El Salvador, enabling the successful participation of a delegation of Salvadoran youth. The program also allowed the participation of young professionals and leaders from Argentina and Peru, characterized by its diversity and representativeness.
YABT and the OAS call upon international organizations, governments, and the private sector to become partners of the Leadership Labs to train the generation of leaders and pioneers of today and tomorrow.
Relive the Leadership Labs week through the photo gallery: https://www.flickr.com/photos/yabtdc/collections/72157724878766889/
For more information and collaboration opportunities, contact us at leadershiplabs@yabt.net
