Ten recent graduates of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) from Antigua have been granted an unparalleled hands-on introduction to global diplomacy via a custom shadowing initiative hosted by senior government official E.P Chet Greene. Greene serves as Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, as well as chair of the National Taskforce organizing the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which the dual-island nation will host from 1 to 4 November 2026. This youth-focused programme forms a core part of national pre-event outreach activities, designed to close the gap between young people and the worlds of diplomatic work and public service ahead of the high-profile global gathering.
Over the course of the immersive day, the participants shadowed Minister Greene directly, gaining exclusive behind-the-scenes insight into the groundwork being laid to welcome hundreds of Commonwealth leaders and delegates from across 56 member nations. The students explored every dimension of the minister’s daily responsibilities, walking away with a grounded understanding of foreign policy development, cross-border cooperation, government operations, and what it means to represent Antigua and Barbuda on the global stage.
The schedule also included a series of interactive sessions connecting the cohort with working diplomats and senior public officials. Open discussions encouraged students to map out their long-term career aspirations and outline concrete steps to turn those goals into impactful public or diplomatic careers. In one standout activity, language educator Ninette Benta-Lares from Fluent ED led a hands-on introductory Mandarin lesson, highlighting the critical role that language proficiency and cross-cultural literacy play in successful diplomatic engagement. The session combined practical learning with fun, reinforcing how cultural exchange underpins effective global cooperation.
Beyond observing and learning, the students stepped into active roles as outreach ambassadors for the 2026 summit. They traveled to Antigua and Barbuda’s Directorate of Gender Affairs, where they delivered their own public presentations on CHOGM 2026. The students explained the summit’s purpose, its unique economic and diplomatic significance for their home country, and why broad national participation is key to the event’s success. This task transformed the young participants from passive learners into active contributors to the national awareness campaign, letting them practice their communication and public speaking skills while educating peers and officials on the upcoming gathering.
In remarks following the programme, Minister Greene emphasized that the 2026 CHOGM belongs to all Antiguans and Barbudans, not just the leaders and officials who will attend the formal sessions. “This event is about our people, and especially our young people, who are the future of this nation and the entire Commonwealth,” Greene noted. “I wanted these students to see diplomacy and public service in action, to understand that there are countless paths for them to contribute meaningfully to our country’s growth and global standing.”
Briana Anthony, Public Relations Officer and Outreach Lead for the 2026 CHOGM National Taskforce, added that the programme was intentionally designed to create a personal, memorable experience for youth, rather than relying on passive, lecture-based learning. “We didn’t want students to just hear about CHOGM from a slideshow,” Anthony explained. “We wanted them to live it, to see what diplomatic work actually looks like day to day, which this shadowing programme made possible.”
As preparations for the November 2026 summit continue, the National Taskforce plans to roll out a wide range of additional engagement initiatives across Antigua and Barbuda. Upcoming activities will target schools, government agencies, local businesses, community groups, and other key stakeholders, with the goal of building broad national awareness, encouraging wide-scale public participation, and ensuring that communities across the country understand the long-term benefits of hosting the Commonwealth’s top leadership gathering.