Panama City, Panama; June 24, 2026. — More than 100 young people from the region took part in the IV Young Americas Meeting, organized by the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) as the official youth activity of the 56th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in Panama City, Panama.

The Meeting reaffirmed the central role of youth in innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and hemispheric leadership, as well as young people’s commitment to having a full and permanent voice and participation in shaping the hemispheric development agenda, through public policies that incorporate the youth perspective.

Participants came from a range of youth organizations across the hemisphere, including YABT’s Leadership Labs Program, the Sinergia and Impulsa Programs of Universidad Anáhuac Querétaro, CONAPINA of El Salvador, the Bolivarian Youth Society of the University of Panama, the Panama American Center (PAC), the City of Knowledge, and other prominent organizations and networks.

The opening session featured Ambassador Laura Gil, OAS Assistant Secretary General, who welcomed the young participants, highlighted their role in hemispheric affairs, and reaffirmed the Organization’s openness to strengthening dialogue and collaboration with new generations. Dr. Georgina Núñez, Vice President of YABT’s Board of Directors, thanked young people for their participation throughout the process, underscoring the value of networks and encouraging continued efforts to drive the region’s development through youth action.

The central panel on innovation, entrepreneurship, and the circular economy brought together Karen Sempf, Founder and Director of Innova-Nation, and Gabriela Gill, representing Bliss Circular Economy, winner of the Startup Award at the InnovAction Challenge 2.0/TIC Americas. Both experts, passionate about sustainable development, shared their perspectives and the work they are leading to strengthen the role of youth in the knowledge economy, the transition toward circular models, and the impact of artificial intelligence on inclusive development, as well as the need to continue promoting projects that drive innovation and entrepreneurship with social impact, working hand in hand with communities themselves.

H.E. Leandro Rizzuto, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the United States to the OAS, delivered a keynote address sharing his views on youth leadership, entrepreneurship, and the importance of innovation. In a deeply moving address, he shared his journey as a leader and entrepreneur, his family’s history, and how, starting from a single idea and opportunity, they built a solid, growing, and above all competitive business model over the years.

The Meeting was also marked by the presence of former OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, who, in his remarks, underscored the importance of placing youth at the center of the hemispheric agenda and the need to keep pace with technological advances.

The closing session brought together H.E. Alejandra Solano, Chair of the OAS Permanent Council and Ambassador Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the OAS, H.E. Ana Irene Delgado, Ambassador Permanent Representative of Panama to the OAS, and Mr. Luis A. Viguria, Chief Executive Officer of YABT, who called for continuing to strengthen mechanisms for youth participation, investing in young people, and recognizing the contributions of our youth across all sectors.

Young people made history through the Meeting, elevating their leadership and playing a significant role as a prominent actor within the OAS 56th General Assembly. The Meeting took place within the framework of the Bicentennial of the Amphictyonic Congress of Panama and YABT’s 27th anniversary, reaffirming the organization’s commitment to youth empowerment and to building public-private partnerships to accelerate sustainable development.

The young participants subsequently took part in the Cátedra de las Américas (Americas Lecture Series), witnessing the historic gathering of the OAS’s three most recent Secretaries General.

The following day, a youth delegation took part in the Dialogue of Heads of Delegation with Civil Society and Social Actors, where a representative/spokesperson for the Meeting presented young people’s views on key issues on the regional agenda to Member States and OAS authorities.

The program continued with a visit by a group of young people to the Panama American Center (PAC) in Ciudad del Saber, where they attended three conferences on social innovation, cooperation, leadership, and sustainable entrepreneurship, concluding with a guided tour of the Circular Economy Center of Bliss Circular Economy, winner of TIC Americas 2024.

To close out the day, the young participants attended an event and reception hosted by the Government of the United States, held to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America and the 25th anniversary of the Inter-American Democratic Charter. This gathering provided an additional opportunity for cultural exchange, strengthening hemispheric networks, and recognizing the role of youth in building more democratic, resilient, and innovative societies.

The IV Young Americas Meeting was established as a platform and mechanism for strengthening dialogue and work with and for young people, further cementing the Leadership Labs and other programs as essential to shaping a new generation of leaders who are helping to drive a renewed multilateralism.

Next steps will focus on building new partnerships for youth development, deepening collaboration with the private sector, governments, and multilateral organizations.

Visit the photo gallery available at the following link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/yabtdc/albums/

For more information and/or to explore a strategic partnership with YABT, please contact Edgar Maestre via edgar.maestre@yabt.net

Learn more about YABT by visiting: www.yabt.net