Precinct Alumnus Obed Kanape Making History in Suriname’s Parliament
According to a 2018 report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, leaders under 30 represent just over two percent of the world’s parliaments. Obed Kanape is forging his way into that narrow statistic with a bold vision and contagious optimism for his constituents in Sipaliwini, Suriname’s largest district. Obed is an alumnus of our 2019 Global Pathfinder Summit. He first joined our Network as a 2016 alumnus of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI), originally part of the Global Ties Arkansas YLAI cohort in Little Rock.
On May 25th at the age of 26, Obed Kanape was elected the youngest member of Suriname’s Parliament. He will be in office for a five-year term with eligibility of re-election in 2025. Obed recently shared, “There is extra weight on your shoulder [as a young member]. You have to be the thinking and movements of the young people. There is a lot of responsibility. There is a lot of reading and following.” He described his careful effort to balance “the vision of liberation and freedom during the process of learning and getting the experience of politics.” Obed ran on a platform based on regional issues of indigenous and tribal rights. His campaign maintained the four focus areas of sustainable education, community development, local entrepreneurship, and clean energy.
Suriname is usually defined by its tropical rainforests, a Dutch speaking majority, and one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the region. It was colonized by the Netherlands and became an independent country in November of 1975. Many Surinamese don’t have access to reliable energy or electricity, and due to the use of mercury by small scale gold miners, local water sources are often not a safe resource either. With these challenges at hand, Obed’s call for “liberation and freedom” remains no easy task.
Obed has embodied the principles of civic engagement since his teenage years, including his long-time participation in the Suriname Youth Parliament as a regional representative. “I have always participated in youth democratic bodies. [It has] always been my dream to participate in politics. Freedom and liberation are my [personal] ideologies,” he reflected. The Youth Parliament is a democratic system that is a representative body for youth by youth.
Obed’s time with the Youth Parliament brought an opportunity to experience the power of representative democracy. It also inspired his additional career as a spoken word artist! Obed wants young people to be part of the discussion about youth and crime in Suriname. In 2019 he started a foundation for after school activities like coaching, team building, and motivational speaking at schools. Obed hopes to strengthen this work even further through his new role in Parliament. He elaborated, “One of the main goals [in my political career is] to create an informed society that is inclusive to the level that people can take initiative to guide their development.”
We know that representation of minorities in a democracy improves the diversity of advocacy and beliefs within a system or government. Obed’s election grants representation to the Surinamese youth as well as indigenous and tribal groups, opening doors and amplifying voices in unprecedented ways. Obed’s “advice to colleagues in other countries” is clear. “Whenever you have a vision or a concept of reality, hold onto the vision and the change you want to have in your community. Try to find people and networks that support your idea. Build on your personal branding. It’s quite possible that your idea of change will change throughout your time in office.”
Congratulations, Obed. We honor your example of leadership and look forward to the great opportunities that you bring for your constituents in Suriname!
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Click HERE for Obed full biography via Meridian International and HERE for data on the Suriname Parliament via the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
