President Leonel Fernández Urges Youth to Adhere to Values to Make a Positive Impact on History

The former president of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Leonel Fernández, urged youth in Latin America and the Caribbean to adhere to values and to participate actively and enthusiastically in different societal organizations in order to implement the change that the world currently requires.

Fernández, who is also the president of the Global Foundation for Democracy Development and its sister organization in the Dominican Republic, Fundación global democracia y desarrollo (GFDD/Funglode), made the call to action during a keynote speech that he gave during the closing of the 25th Summit of the Americas by the Asociación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Harvard (Harvard University Student Association), which supports and promotes democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean. The event took place in Santo Domingo and featured the participation of more than 400 students from different countries in the region.

“All of you, in the years to come, are destined to leave the academic world; to leave the world of debate simulation and enter the real world that we need to take care of,” said the former president.

“And in that real world, you all, as part of a movement or an organization that could be a cultural club, a church or a political party, non-profit institution or NGO, through participating within that movement, you all can leave an impact and positive mark on history,” he stressed.

Fernández mentioned, however, that to leave a positive impact on history, youth must adhere to the right values based on principle and faith.

Then the former head of state stated that the most important values to adhere to in order to positively influence the world are peace, security, truth, justice, liberty and solidarity.

“I believe that you all will leave your mark on history if you commit to solidarity, and above all, if you always work in favor of the dignity of human beings. If you do this, then I am certain that your families and countries will be proud of you,” he said.

This year’s version of HACIA Democracy, the name of the international event, featured the theme “25 Years of Democracy: Reflections on the Past and Future.” The objective of the meeting is to encourage interest in politics and civic participation among youth, understanding that the young participants will be the future leaders of the region. Also, the Summit seeks to facilitate dialogue and create cross-border connections that help to expand students’ perspectives.

In his keynote speech, former President Fernández shared some reflections on democracy in Latin America in the last 25 years, as well as on the 25 years of HACIA Democracy. Dr. Fernández also gave some suggestions that he considered vital to strengthening democratic institutions in the region, stressing the importance of the active participation of young people.

During the meeting, students debated in committees that represented OAS bodies, other institutions such as the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the World Health Organization as well as historical leaders.

“Never before in the history of humanity has there been an era of such radical change like the one that is taking place now,” mentioned Fernández. He insisted that knowledge is the only thing that works to guide action.