In commemoration of United Nations Day, the Final Gala of the Debate Tournament "Sustainable Development Goals and Migration: Towards an Integrated Governance in Panama" was held. The gala was attended by numerous government authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, academics and students from various institutions, and the tournament was organized by the Accounting Prosecutor’s Office (Fiscalía General de Cuentas), the Panamanian Debate Association (ASPADE) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Jaime Barroso, Accounting Prosecutor, stressed that "migration is an issue that concerns us all due to its high social, economic and cultural impact. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that students apply themselves in various contexts to know how to understand and debate in this type of tournament."

More than 30 strategic partners from the private sector and academia joined this initiative, which included a training process led by national and international specialists from the United Nations. These experts guided participants in the analysis of complex issues related to migration and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), promoting a deeper understanding of current challenges. This approach strengthened their capacity and commitment in finding comprehensive solutions, empowering participants to become active advocates for a more equitable and sustainable future for all.

Ana Graça, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Panama, highlighted that "this Debate Tournament directly contributes to young people's voices being heard in the context of the great challenges of development and migration. The importance of these spaces cannot be underestimated, as they encourage the active participation of young people in building a more just, equitable and participatory society."

On the other hand, Alejandro Espino, Member of the Panamanian Debate Association, stressed that "the passion of young people for debate continues to be a source of inspiration that drives us to create these spaces for dialogue and personal development. We are extremely happy to have had more than 550 young people who wanted to challenge their skills and continue to grow as debaters."

"Continuing to secure these spaces is a mission that benefits all of Panama and all its youth. We are very enthusiastic about what we could achieve with even more alliances so we invite everyone to continue creating a Panama that debates, to contact us to find out how we could collaborate and to be part of our next projects," added Espino.

The Debate Tournament "Sustainable Development Goals and Migration: Towards an Integrated Governance in Panama" has been a platform to raise awareness in the community about the importance of migration and its interrelationship with the SDGs. At the end of the gala, awards and recognitions were presented to the winning teams, as well as to all key partners from the public and private sector who are committed to continue promoting a constructive dialogue on migration and sustainable development in Panama.

"We are convinced that fostering critical thinking and debate among young people is essential to building a more inclusive and just future for all," said Giuseppe Loprete, Director of the Panama Administrative Centre (PAC) and IOM Chief of Mission in Panama.

"This Debate Tournament strengthens a series of initiatives aimed at engaging youth in the creation of public policies that promote safe, orderly and regular migration, benefiting both migrants and host communities," Loprete concluded.

For more information, contact IOM Panama's communications team at iompanama@iom.int