Rotaract Club of Aruba Organized the 11th Edition of YOU Inc. Seminar with a Focus on the Orange Economy
On Friday, June 5, 2026, the Rotaract Club of Aruba successfully hosted the 11th edition of its annual YOU Inc. seminar, an event dedicated to personal and professional development through dialogue, inspiration, and the exchange of knowledge.
From its inception, YOU Inc. has maintained a clear focus on one central theme each year, bringing experts and community voices together to explore relevant topics. Previous editions addressed mental health, entrepreneurship, and tourism, always with the same objective: to empower all attendees, stimulate important conversations, and motivate people to invest in themselves and in their professional careers.
This year, the seminar placed emphasis on the Orange Economy, a topic the Rotaract Club of Aruba believes needs more attention. The Orange Economy refers to the creative industry, encompassing sectors such as art, design, music, film, fashion, digital media, and other creative expressions that generate cultural, social, and economic value. With innovation always in mind, Rotaract completely transformed the event experience by hosting the seminar in San Nicolas, known as Aruba’s art district. Held in the open air, this marked a first for YOU Inc., creating an atmosphere that reflected the creativity of the theme.
The evening began with a dynamic first panel, shifting from the traditional program that usually opens with a keynote speaker. The audience heard honest and real reflections from young creatives actively working within the industry. Mauro Caralps, Rocco Franken, Julissa Ras, and Sharkk Gario shared their experiences, challenges, and perspectives, giving the audience a clear look into the reality of building a creative career.
The first panel set the stage for the keynote address by lawyer and expert Lincoln “Dello” Gomez, who delivered a powerful explanation on the importance of protecting creativity, the intellectual property of all creatives, drawing from his own professional experience. His message resonated strongly with the audience and was summarized in four key words: create, own, protect, and grow.
The seminar concluded with a second panel featuring experienced creatives and agents of change within the creative industry: Edjean Semeleer, Ronchi de Cuba, Tito Bolivar, and Armando Goedgedrag. They shared challenges from both the past and present, as well as their vision for the future of the creative industry, emphasizing that formalizing and strengthening the Orange Economy requires a collective effort among creatives, institutions, and all relevant stakeholders.
The program was directed by Jonathan Trinidad, who guided the audience throughout the entire evening. Both panels were moderated by Derchlien Dijkhoff, a professional with extensive experience working within the creative industry, ensuring deep dialogue and meaningful exchange.
The Rotaract Club of Aruba sincerely thanks all sponsors and partners for their valuable support. Special thanks goes to Aruba Bank, Aruba Tourism Authority, Aruba Airport Authority, Elite Productions, Setar N.V., Pepe Margo Distillery, Total Services, Albo Aruba, Express Events, and Accurate Security for their contributions. A special word of appreciation is also extended to all panelists and speaker whose participation helped make the YOU Inc. Seminar 2026 a success. Finally, the Rotaract Club of Aruba thanks the YOU Inc. committee and all Rotaract members for their dedication and hard work.
For more information and updates, follow the Rotaract Club of Aruba on social media @rotaractaruba