With just over a month to go before Antigua and Barbuda welcomes hundreds of
delegates for the 4 th International Conference on Small Island Developing States,
an intense period of training is underway to prepare volunteers for their various
roles in helping to make the conference a success.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been managing the
volunteer initiative, which is integral to the overall successful coordination of the
conference. There was a massive response to a recruitment drive some months ago
as scores of Antiguans and Barbudans responded to a call to enlist as volunteers
with the SIDS4 Conference.
The Ministry’s Protocols Office, under the guidance of its Chief of Protocols Karen
Cabrall, is now leading a series of training exercises that are all geared at fully
preparing the volunteers for their responsibilities during the May 27 – 30
international conference. The UK Government, an important partner in the overall
effort, facilitated a virtual Train the Trainer exercise last week.
The orientation sessions for the wider group kicked into high gear on Saturday as
just under 200 of the selected volunteers packed one of the meeting rooms at the
American University of Antigua, the venue for the SIDS4 Conference, to be taken
through a series of modules aimed at providing them with the necessary skills,
knowledge and understanding of their respective roles.
The main facilitator was Anika Kentish, an experienced trainer, who carried the
selected volunteers through the various paces specifically designed to ensure that
all levels of the conference benefit from the knowledgeable and nimble support of
a responsive and enthusiastic group of individuals.
Sessions were split into segments that allowed participants to ask questions and
fully engage in role playing activities that brought to life various potential
situations that could develop during the conference.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be leading another series of training activities
this week, this time targeting the Protocol Officers who will be part of the
coordinating mechanism for the conference.
“The response from members of the public was indeed enthusiastic, and for various
reasons, including needs and fit, we were not able to take all. But testament to the
legacy of the conference, we now have a database of talented and skilled
individuals which we can tap into for major national exercises,” Cabrall explained.
In the meantime, National Coordinator of the Conference Sheila Roseau has
expressed her appreciation to a number of companies and individuals who
contributed to the training session. On her list of gratitude are the American
University of Antigua, Sandals Grande Antigua, Subway, Free Trade Zone,
Aesome Development Ventures (ADV) Jolly Harbour and Savita’s Delight-AUA.
Volunteering for the SIDS4 Conference is expected to leave a lasting impact on the
scores of individuals who signed up as they will be exposed to a life changing
opportunity while playing an important role in contributing to the future of island
nations across the globe.
