Peace Boat US was pleased to participate in The Global Sustainable Islands Summit (GSIS), held May 25-30 in St. Kitts and Nevis, which served as the centerpiece of a week-long series of events dedicated to advancing sustainability and innovation across island communities. Peace Boat US Director, Emilie McGlone, was honored to be included as one of the speakers for the kick-off event “Island Youth Forum.”
The summit focused on actionable solutions and cross-sector partnerships and featured the Island Solutions Expo, side events, bilateral meetings, and networking opportunities. Rather than framing islands solely through the lens of vulnerability, GSIS positions them as “lighthouses of innovation,” offering scalable models for climate resilience and sustainable development.
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Honorable Dr. Terrance Drew noted that the conference was, “a signal of our seriousness about moving towards a sustainable state,” and the need to make sure that people can see action so that it does not just become “academic lectures.” Island Innovation CEO James Ellsmoor also echoed the theme of lighthouses noting that islands light the way towards economic development, reinforcing the importance of gatherings like GSIS 2025 in advancing global collaboration, key to building equitable and resilient economies.
The week concluded with the, “Forum on Access to Climate Finance for Sub-National Island Jurisdictions.” Throughout the summit, the message was clear: long-term resilience requires inclusive, forward-thinking leadership – starting now.
Peace Boat US was proud to see past program participants in action at this summit. The organizer was Arianna Abul-Nour, a Youth for SDGs alumni from the UK who now works with Island Innovation. Jeavanic Henry, a past Peace Boat Ocean and Climate Youth Ambassador from St. Lucia was also present in his role with the UNFCCC capacity building network.
