On September 23-24, 2023, the Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democracies hosted the first meeting of the new cohort of CoD YouthLeads, young pro-democracy representatives spanning Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe. 

Key highlights include:

• The event began with a welcome reception with the participation of the CoD Governing Council representatives.
• H.E. Ms. Luminita Odobescu, Romania’s Foreign Minister, affirmed her country’s ongoing support for youth engagement in an opening message.
• H.E. Ms. Aylin Estrella Joo Liem, Chile’s Ambassador to Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania and Georgia shared invaluable diplomatic communication knowledge with the group.
• Together with Ms. Victoria Nibarger of the U.S. Department of State, YouthLeads brainstormed ideas for the global Youth Democracy Network.