Welcome Addess – Mrs. Maurisia Jeffers, Secretary General, International Youth Institute – World Youth Forum – Miramar 2026
Good morning.
Your Excellencies,
Honorable Mayor Wayne Messam,
Honorable Mayor Daniella Levine Cava,
Distinguished Consuls General and Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
Elected Officials and Commissioners,
Esteemed International Delegates,
Strategic Partners and Sponsors,
Respected Colleagues and Global Thought Leaders,
Members of the United Nations Association of Broward County Chapter,
Representatives of Global Ties Miami and our international institutions,
And to our extraordinary youth leaders joining us from across the world
It is with great honor and profound purpose that I welcome you to the World Youth Forum – Miramar 2026, hosted here in this vibrant and globally connected city, during a historic moment as we align with the spirit of the FIFA World Cup 2026 .
On behalf of the International Youth Institute USA, it is my privilege to stand before you as Secretary General and open what is not simply a forum. But a global platform for influence, innovation, and intergenerational leadership.
Over the next three days, this forum will serve as a convergence point for ideas and action. Through high-level plenary sessions, policy-driven discussions, youth-led debates, innovation labs, and cross-cultural exchange .
But more importantly this is a space where youth are not participants… they are partners in shaping the global agenda. Today, we gather at a time when the world is navigating complexity economic shifts, technological acceleration, climate challenges, and evolving social landscapes. And yet, within that complexity lies unprecedented opportunity.
Because the defining resource of this era is not just capital or infrastructure:
- It is human potential.
- It is youth innovation.
- It is global collaboration.
To our distinguished leaders and partners your presence here signals a commitment to something far greater than dialogue. It reflects an understanding that sustainable progress requires intentional investment in youth leadership, inclusion, and access to opportunity.
To our diplomatic community and international representatives thank you for bridging nations, fostering cooperation, and reinforcing the importance of multilateral engagement in shaping a more unified world. To our strategic partners and sponsoring organizations your support transforms vision into reality. This forum stands as a testament to what is possible when public, private, and global sectors align with purpose.
And to our youth. You are not the leaders of tomorrow.You are the leaders of now.
This platform has been intentionally designed for you to think critically, collaborate globally, and execute boldly from the innovation hackathons in business intelligence and artificial intelligence, to the formulation and adoption of the Miramar 2026 Declaration, which will reflect your collective voice and vision for the future.
I challenge you to use this moment fully:
- Engage with intention.
- Speak with confidence.
- Lead with integrity.
- And build solutions that extend far beyond these walls.
Because the success of this forum will not be measured by attendance. But by impact.
- Impact in your communities.
- Impact in your industries.
- Impact across nations.
As we celebrate the unifying energy of sport through this special World Cup edition, we are reminded that competition may define the game.
but collaboration defines progress.
- Let this forum be a catalyst.
- Let it be a turning point.
- Let it be remembered as the moment where ideas became action and action became legacy.
To the City of Miramar thank you for your visionary leadership and for hosting a platform that reflects diversity, innovation, and global unity at its highest level.
And to every individual in this room your presence here is not by chance.
You are part of something greater.
With that, it is my distinct honor to officially welcome you to the World Youth Forum – Miramar 2026.
Let us begin.Thank you.
