The Antigua Barbuda Reparations Support Commission (ABRSC) will host the
African Culture and Heritage Exposition on Friday in various schools across
Antigua. This second annual exposition is a vital component of the Commission's
Africa-CARICOM Day celebration activities, which commenced on September
7th.
According to Ambassador Dorbrene O’Marde, Chairman of the ABRSC, "This
initiative encourages our schools to develop activities focused on African culture
and heritage, providing our children and young people with meaningful knowledge
about the African continent. The program, initially piloted in Jamaica, is part of a
regional effort to dispel misconceptions and misinformation that many of our
people hold about Africa."
During the exposition, participating schools will stage ceremonies dedicated to
celebrating selected countries such as Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, or Ethiopia.
The emphasis will be on aspects such as location, capital, population, national and
official language(s), political leadership, cuisine, music, cultural expressions,
national flag, motto, and anthem.
The exposition follows a series of activities held throughout September to celebrate
the regional day of recognition. On September 7th, the Commission hosted a
compelling panel discussion titled "YOUTH AND REPARATIONS," featuring
renowned poet and reparations advocate Cyndi Celeste from Barbados, alongside
Kamalie Mannix, President of the National Youth Parliament Association and
History Teacher, CARICOM Youth Ambassador Esquire Henry, and moderated by
Regis Burton.
Following the panel discussion, the ABRSC hosted an engaging evening of
Creative Activism, where a collective of poets, artists, and musicians illuminated
the power of creative arts as a tool for positive change.
As part of the annual Africa-CARICOM Day celebrations, the ABRSC also
presented the debut of "Creative Voices," an evening dedicated to poetry, spoken
word, songs, and jazz music, featuring celebrated artists performing for a
captivated audience.
The inaugural Africa/CARICOM Summit held on September 7th, 2021, resulted in
a historic decision to institutionalize collaboration between Africa, CARICOM,
and the diaspora. This was accomplished through the establishment of Africa-
CARICOM Day on September 7th each year, the creation of a dedicated
Secretariat/Structure, and the organization of annual Africa-CARICOM Summits.
