Gibraltar will be represented at the Commonwealth Youth Parliament(CYP) in New Zealand by Johan Perez and Oliver Whitmore. 

A statement from the Government follows below:

The two delegates were selected after an essay competition on the subject ofthe importance ofthe Commonwealth to Gibraltar. The essays were judged by retired headteachers Mr Albert Danino and Mr Ivan Navas. 

The 12th Commonwealth Youth Parliament will be hosted in Wellington by the Parliament of New Zealand from 2nd to 5th September 2024. 

The participation in this event reflects the diverse nature of the Commonwealth family and its global reach, with young people aged 18 to 29 representing the nine geographical regions of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). 

Gibraltar is part of the British Islands and Mediterranean Region. 

The eventis described by the organisers as one which is designed to provide a Pan-Commonwealth experience and a hugely valuable networking opportunity with other participants as well as with current Members of Parliament from different jurisdictions who act as mentors throughout the week. 

There are 56 member countries of the Commonwealth, with a combined population of 2.5 billion people, of whom over 60% are under the age of 30. When the territories associated to those countries are taken into account, that number rises to over 70. 

In recent years, young people have represented Gibraltar at different meetings of the Commonwealth Youth Parliament in places like Trinidad and Tobago, Jersey, and India. This is in line with the policy of the Government To develop further our relationship with theCommonwealth and to provide such opportunities for our young people. The Government is very grateful to all those who submitted essays and to Mr Danino and Mr Navas for so generously giving up their time to judge them.