Young Antiguan Zion Harley Set to Represent Antigua and Barbuda on Regional and International Stages

A rising young leader from Antigua and Barbuda is set to elevate local youth perspectives on innovation, community development, and climate action to regional and global stages in 2027, following a string of recent career milestones. Zion Harley, currently pursuing a Public Administration degree at the Antigua and Barbuda College of Advanced Studies (ABCAS), has been formally selected as an independent youth delegate and featured presenter for the upcoming Caribbean Environmental Resilience Summit, slated to take place in Saint Lucia from March 24 to 27, 2027. Hosted by the Global Organization for Heritage, Environment and Tourism Development (GOHETD), the high-profile regional gathering convenes cross-sector stakeholders across the Caribbean to tackle pressing shared challenges of environmental sustainability, climate adaptation, and equitable long-term regional development. Harley’s selection marks a rare opportunity to center grassroots Antiguan youth voices in these high-stakes policy discussions, where he will lead targeted presentations on actionable solutions to mitigate regional environmental risks and build more robust, disaster-resilient Caribbean communities. This landmark appointment builds directly on a recent breakthrough achievement for Harley and fellow Antiguan innovator Aliyah Taylor, who were the only two Antiguan members of the five-person “Beyond the Innovation” team that took top honors in a regional competitive innovation challenge. Their team’s win has unlocked a separate international engagement opportunity in London, United Kingdom, scheduled for an earlier window in March 2027, requiring the pair to travel abroad to showcase their award-winning innovation work before global industry and policy audiences. Speaking ahead of his packed 2027 travel schedule, Harley shared that he feels immense pride to carry the flag of Antigua and Barbuda to both regional and global forums, ensuring that small island developing state youth priorities are not sidelined in conversations that will shape the Caribbean’s environmental and economic future for generations.