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Assistant Secretary General Ramdin Inaugurates Model OAS General Assembly Program for University Students

The Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Albert Ramdin, today inaugurated the 31st Model OAS General Assembly (MOAS) program for universities at the headquarters of the hemispheric institution in Washington, DC.

In his opening address, Ambassador Ramdin highlighted that the MOAS is “a space for the promotion of democracy” and said he was sure that the proposals of the participants “will have young, original and new ideas.” “It is very important to include the young people of Latin America and the Caribbean in this type of activities that help them to develop political skills and experience, particularly as young people are the most numerous sector of the population in this Hemisphere,” he added during the event, which was attended by several Permanent Representatives and Alternate Representatives of the member states of the OAS.

This edition of the Model General Assembly is based around several themes: reducing inequality through regional economic integration; the implementation of the Social Charter of the Americas to strengthen democracy; strengthening the Inter-American Democratic Charter to ensure free and fair electoral processes; identifying new approaches to address drug trafficking; and cooperation between the private sector and educational institutions to promote youth entrepreneurship.

The Assistant Secretary General stressed that these topics are especially important for young people, who represent two thirds of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean, but one in five do not study or work. "This situation has serious consequences for their personal, social and economic advancement," he said, and urged the participants to "find a way to ease the economic mobilization of their countries while taking care that the economic benefits reach everyone, and preventing an increase in economic inequality."

Similarly, the senior OAS official emphasized the need to involve young people in politics, but not only during elections. "Democracy exists when everyone actively participates after the elections, through mechanisms such as political parties, civil society, academia and forums," he said.

In that regard, he continued, "for citizens and especially young people to exercise their right to political and economic participation, our governments must give priority to the opening of opportunities in education, training and access to entrepreneurial activity" because "there is no doubt of the close relationship between poverty, a lack of opportunities and information, and the connection with crime and violence."

In particular, Ambassador Ramdin emphasized the role played by the partnership between the private sector and educational institutions in creating opportunities. This partnership, he said "forms a very valuable combination that can offer many benefits to communities, to young people and to the development of a country."

The Assistant Secretary General concluded by stressing the role of the MOAS as "an excellent opportunity for training and practice of leadership, communication and negotiating skills." At the same time, he urged young people to extend their participation in the political dialogue of the OAS through the "Youth Conference of the Americas of the OAS," a meeting with a virtual component as well as well as a traditional meeting that will celebrate its second edition in November.



The MOAS, whose first edition was held in 1980, aims to promote democratic values ​​among the youth of the Hemisphere and to familiarize students with the priorities of the Inter-American agenda and the work of the OAS. Using a simulation of the OAS General Assembly, students discuss current topics being debated on the agenda of the countries of the Americas. More information is available at www.moas.oas.org.

The event, which ends on Friday, July 26, is being attended by some 450 participants, including students and teachers, who come from 38 universities from 13 countries in the Hemisphere and one in Europe. In the 31st edition of the MOAS, there are students from nine universities in Colombia, nine in Peru, five in Bolivia, four in El Salvador, two in Nicaragua, two in Venezuela, and one from Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama and France.

A gallery of photos of the event is available here.

The video of the event will be available here.

For more information, please visit the OAS Website at www.oas.org.

Reference: E-279/13