Madrid Retreat Unites Global Youth Leaders To Build Skills, Combat Road Safety Crisis

Article originally published by Olorundare Enimola from The Independent

Youth for Road Safety - YOURS and the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety will host the first Youth Leadership Retreat on Road Safety from 29th August 29 – September 1 in Madrid, Spain, to build new skills in tackling road traffic crashes, adjudged the biggest killer of young people globally.

The Retreat, supported by Spain’s Fundación MAPFRE will host the training at their Madrid headquarters and counts on the financial support of YOURS long-lasting partners; TotalEnergies Foundation and MICHELIN Corporate Foundation.

About 23 exceptional young leaders from 18 countries representing all sectors of society have
been selected to participate in the retreat to build on their outstanding leadership qualities
and level of local community influence, using the 4-day intensive training to maximize participants’ leadership and practical advocacy skills to demand and deliver road safety and sustainable mobility globally and locally.

The Global Youth Coalition consists of over 1700 young leaders from around the world, set up in 2020 by YOURS to unify a global youth movement for road safety. It takes a unique approach to place young leaders at the centre of organizational decision-making via various youth leadership structures, which will be made to undergo a specially-curated learning curriculum using the multi-award-winning YOURS Capacity Development approach.

Executive Director of YOURS, Raquel Barrios, said. “We are excited to bring together 23 talented
young leaders dedicated to changing the road safety reality they have inherited and is affecting their lives. At YOURS, we assert that meaningful youth participation is essential if we want to address the global road safety crisis and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); therefore, we are investing in young leaders, so they can continue acquiring new skills, expanding their networks, and creating stronger connections that will enable them to lead with renewed vigor and passion.”

The retreat not only aims to be a transformative experience for the participants but will also be a key contribution to their understanding, dedication, and passion for creating safer roads and sustainable communities globally.

The legacy of this retreat will be seen through the initiatives, projects, and innovations that these young leaders will lead long after the retreat is over.

Simon Patrick Obi, youth leader, and leadership board member for the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety said, “I am delighted at the same time and inspired to have been selected as one of the representatives from the African region to participate in this global leadership training, facilitated by Youth for Road Safety, YOURS.

“My gratitude extends to YOURS and its partners for granting me this opportunity. I am hopeful, that this training will re-energize and empower me to further advance the cause of youth road safety and sustainable mobility. I believe that the leadership training holds the promise of not only equipping me with valuable skills and knowledge, but its positive influence will also permeate our broader road safety endeavors at GreenLight Initiative in Nigeria.”

YOURS’ mission aims to amplify the collective voice of young people to lead and deliver road
safety and meaningful participation from them and other notable global and local organizations.

Patrick added, “Together, they are creating a future where youth voices are at the forefront of shaping the narrative of our communities. “There is no more deadly threat to young people than a road traffic crash; as such, it is only fitting that young people are at the heart of rethinking mobility and creating safe and sustainable mobility.”

Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health, WHO, “This first Youth Leadership Retreat on Road Safety will be an excellent occasion for youth leaders from 18 countries to enhance skills, build networks and chart ways to contribute that fully engage them in all aspects of the decision-making process.”