Nigeria, U.S., 16 others converge on Spain for road safety conference

Article originally published by Ibironke Ariyo from The FirstBank

Young Leaders from 18 countries representing all sectors of society have been selected to participate in the 2023 Youth for Road Safety and the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety (YOURS) Leadership Retreat in Spain.

The Executive Director of YOURS, Raquel Barrios said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja. Barrios said the 23 young leaders were selected from 18 countries including Argentina, Cameroon, Colombia, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, and Indonesia.

She said that the countries also included Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Spain, Tajikistan, Uganda, the United States, and Zimbabwe. According to Barrios, all young leaders are active community leaders leading road safety actions, interventions, and advocacy.

She said that most have significant experience in presenting road safety in national and international arenas.

Barrios said the retreat was the first of its kind and was an excellent occasion for the youth to enhance their skills, and build networks.

She said that it would also help in charting ways to contribute meaningfully to the decision-making process of road management. According to her, the 23 exceptional leaders have been selected to participate in the retreat to build their qualities and increase their ability to Influence their local community on road safety.

“We are excited to bring together 23 talented young leaders dedicated to changing the road safety reality they have inherited and that is affecting their lives. At YOURS, we assert that meaningful youth participation is essential and 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,” she said.

Barrios said that the training which is focused on building new skills in tackling the biggest killer of young people globally was scheduled to be held for four days in Madrid, Spain beginning from August 29 to September 1.

She aid that the retreat was supported by Spain’s Fundacion MAPFRE, which would host the training at its Madrid headquarters, with the support of TotalEnergies Foundation and MICHELIN Corporate Foundation.

The group’s executive director also said that the 4-day intensive training experience would help the youth maximize their leadership and practical advocacy skills to demand and deliver road safety and sustainable mobility globally and locally.

“The Global Youth Coalition, which consists of over 1,700 young leaders from around the world, was 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 organisational decision-making. Via various youth leadership structures they will undergo a specially-curated learning curriculum using the multi-award-winning YOURS Capacity Development approach,” she said.

On his part, Mr. Simon Patrick Obi, the Youth Leader and Leadership Board member for the Global Youth Coalition for Road Safety lauded the initiative to train the youth across board on toad safety. He expressed delight to have been selected as one of the representatives from the Africa region to participate in this global leadership training facilitated by YOURS.

“I am hopeful that this training will re-energise 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 and Africa,” he said.

YOURS’ mission is to amplify the collective voice of young people to lead and deliver road safety and meaningful participation.

The retreat is supported by esteemed stakeholders such as TotalEnergies Foundation, Michelin Corporate Foundation, the World Health Organisation, MAPFRE Foundation, and other notable global and local organisations.