The youth is not the future of tomorrow but the future of today, Patricia Scotland QC, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, on Tuesday, June 21, reminded the youth.

She said that although they are 60 per cent of the Commonwealth, they are the heart of the Commonwealth.

"Lots of people would have told you that you are tomorrow’s leaders, but you are not tomorrow’s leaders. You are the leaders of today. If you look at those who have created the great unicorns, all of them almost without exception were under the age of 30, so each of you who are under the age of 30 what is your excuse? You can change our world. You are changing our world,” she said.

Thanking them for what they have done for the past three days, during the Commonwealth Youth Forum, she mentioned the 12th Commonwealth Youth Forum being a resounding success.

The Commonwealth Youth Forum is among of the four Forums happening at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Kigali. As it marked ts end, on Tuesday, officials shared messages of encouragement to the youth.

Prime Minister Édouard Ngirente said young people are trusted to take charge of the future and find solutions to the challenges the world is facing today.

He encouraged Rwandan youth to keep ongoing partnerships between members of the commonwealth.

"We are banking on you. We have full confidence in you because the challenges we face today require attributes of the youth,” he said.

He urged the youth to take their place on the world stage, to be bold and courageous, and to choose courage over fear.

The youth forum in Kigali attracted more than 350 youth delegates from 54 member countries of the Commonwealth focused on topics around youth-related pressing issues. 

They strategised on how to come up with actionable solutions under a theme: "Taking charge of our future”.