Scores of secondary school students attended the Barbados Youth Green Tech Expo.

Barbadian youth have an integral role to play in combatting climate change and shaping a greener future.

CARICOM Youth Ambassador, Ashley Lashley, shared this view during her opening speech at the Barbados Youth Green Tech Expo, which was held earlier today at the Hilton Barbados Resort.

While the Founder of the Ashley Lashley Foundation acknowledged the significance of September 30th - Caribbean Youth Day -, she noted that when she became a CARICOM Youth Ambassador, she wanted to do ‘something bold’.

“I wanted to do something that would inspire other young people across the region to step up and take the lead on climate action. That’s why I decided to create this Youth GreenTech Expo,” Lashley declared.

This project, she added, ‘was born out of a desire to bring together brilliant minds’ together to showcase the innovative solutions to tackle climate change.

For Lashley, the Expo ‘is not just a one-time event; it’s a movement’ that is led by the youth, for the youth.

The comprehensive event, which was hosted by the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment in partnership with the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors, exposed scores of secondary school students and individuals from youth organizations to the work and initiatives of local ecocentric organizations, all of whom were exhibitors.

They included the Barbados Fisheries Division, Barbados National Oil Company Limited, Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research, Education and Design (WIRRED), Eco Skywater, Biocultural Education Research Programme and the Barbados Environmental Sustainability Fund.

Meanwhile, Director of Youth Affairs, Cleviston Hunte, implored the students to absorb the information provided by the exhibitors for future use, such as school projects and in the pursuit of their respective careers.

Acting immediately on his advice, the enthusiastic students visited each booth for more in-depth information on each organization and their initiatives and products, much to their delight.

On completion, they returned to their seats for an interactive question and answer segment, which was facilitated by panelists, Kyle Taylor of Eco SkyWater, Dr. Sonia Peters of Biocultural Education Research Programme and WIRRED’s Project Officer, Georgina Thornton.

The invigorating session saw the panelists and students explore the future role of robotics in the organizations on exhibition, the data collection processes of the respective organizations and the potential of future product development within this sector.

Students were tasked with completing a related exercise after the segment, which worked up their mental appetites for the Pitch Tank that occurred after this session.

Collectively, the students registered their satisfaction with the diversity and quality of the information presented at the Expo, which was deemed a success and a fantastic way to celebrate Caribbean Youth Day.

The Barbados Youth Green Tech Expo was coordinated by the Year of the Youth Secretariat, which is led by Senior Youth Commissioner, Elizabeth Bowen. Youth MC, Theron Durant, hosted the event.