By Dayron David Escorcia Atencio

Youth Advisory Group (YAG)
GOYN Barranquilla Barranquilla-Colombia

Approximately 33 years ago, Gabriela Mistral stated that “humanity is still a scattered family.” Although time has passed and visions of regional cooperation have found new approaches, this statement remains more relevant than ever, directly prompting reflection on the reasons that continue to hinder effective integration, especially in Latin American countries where there are more things that make us similar than those that separate us.

Since 2024 I have been fortunate enough to interact with people from other Latin American countries and although I must admit that my vision was highly individualistic and haughty in terms of integration, this began to change drastically.

But what led me to reconsider that thought? Precisely the I discovered that the realities I experience daily as a young Colombian were almost identical to those faced by my peers in countries like Mexico and Brazil.Since then, I have been able to see how my interest in understanding other contexts was born, not from the pursuit of individual benefits, but from a genuine understanding of their essence through... Understanding their concerns, culture, learning, and dreams, since in my opinion these are the main points for effectively approaching the core of any country.

In most cases, when seeking to "study" another country from an external perspective, political and economic academic frameworks are used, even though they are a reliable approach. This only shows one side of the coin, often omitting the side that the indices and figures don't make visible: the stories behind each percentage..

The moment voices take center stage, one understands what is not perceived at first glance, that which is inside each person and which collectively shapes the identity of a country or community.

Amidst these interactions with various actors across the continent, I discovered a remarkable initiative dedicated to amplifying the voices of young people through publications that don't force the censorship of their core message. The actor in question is... YouthES Platform from Mexico Citywhich has an exclusive section for young people called "Youth around the world" where any young person who wants to express their point of view, dreams, experiences, finds on the platform the ideal setting to express themselves with total freedom.

I am one of those young people who received the opportunity to make a publication and who, over time, discovered the value these spaces have for impact at various levels, free of charge, and supported by a team that truly accompanies and motivates.

Although the value of these channels for promoting regional integration is often not understood, the reality is quite different, since, as James W. Carey has explained, communication is not limited to the transmission of information, but rather fulfills a function cultural and community, expanding the conversation between human groups and contributing to a shared understanding that can foster links between societies.

Following this line of thought, it is evident that the opening of platforms where information is free and without judgment broadens the vision of reality and provides tools for integration, since it breaks down one of the main points of disagreement when it comes to finding consensus, such as the bias of information.

In order to make this goal of regional integration effective, from the GOYN Barranquilla community An effective channel of collaboration has been built between the members of the Youth Advisory Group and the YouthES PlatformIn such a way as to amplify the voice of Barranquilla's youth and facilitate access to the city's context for all readers of this pioneering magazine in Latin America, while at the same time allowing the experiences of other countries to resonate in Colombia.

These initial steps in collaboration between Colombia and Mexico demonstrate that the Regional integration is possible and does not require grand schemes to functionbut rather a set of small actions that build big changes.

This collaborative action only marks the beginning of future strategies that will emerge on their own through the identification of synergies arising from the exchange of ideas and visions, allowing this strategy to function like an ecosystem capable of autonomously adapting to the incentives and stimuli it receives. an incentive that paves the way for effective regional integration, that which has been dreamed of so much and which so far few have been able to materialize.

It's time for young people to show that regional integration is indeed viable and simpler than many have made it seem!