St. Peters – On April 15th, a group of six (6) students will be heading to Ancient Olympia, Greece to represent Sint Maarten at the Annual World Cultural Youth Symposium. The symposium aims to bring together students and teachers from all over the world in order to raise cultural awareness, develop mutual respect and contribute to the creation of a new generation of world citizens that feel united in diversity and are willing to shape a sustainable future for everyone. This is being achieved through knowledge and experience exchange, interaction and collaboration on a common goal related to the world cultural heritage. The World Cultural Heritage Youth Symposium 2024 focuses on the intangible heritage and invites students and teachers to engage in the topic by participating in various activities.
This will be Sint Maarten’s second delegation to this symposium. In 2023, the first delegation comprised two MAC CSE students – Jahira George and Nathalya Gumbs – graduate student Kamilah Gumbs under the supervision of teachers Jay DeSouza and Margaret Sablon-Webster. This trip was deemed a success as the delegation participated in various workshops under the theme “Raising Awareness in a Digital Age”. After the positive experience of this delegation, UNESCO Sint Maarten and the St. Maarten Youth Council made a concerted effort to send another delegation for this year’s symposium.
Under the name Youths of Soualigan Culture, these six students – Adio Williams (St.Dominic High School), Asanté Phillips (Milton Peters College), Danélle Brooks- Ellis (Methodist Agogic Center Comprehensive Secondary Education), Enrique Sullivan (St. Maarten Youth Parliament), Shaeijuan Williams (Methodist Agogic Center Comprehensive Secondary Education), and Gabrielle Brooks-Ellis (University of St. Martin) – will participate in a series of workshops and excursions under the topic of knowing your intangible heritage, as well giving a presentation about Sint Maarten’s intangible heritage. The students will be under the guidance of Ms. Marcellia Henry, Secretary General of UNESCO Sint Maarten, Mrs. Connie Francis-Gumbs and Ms. Kamilah Gumbs of the St. Maarten Youth Council.
In our fundraising efforts, there will be a food sale on March 2nd from 11:00 am -2:00 pm at the USM CourtYard. Tickets are $10 for Baked Chicken, $12 for Baked Ribs, $12 for Combo (Chicken & Ribs), $12 for Baked kingfish, $15 for Fried Snapper/Salmon (Limited), and $18 for Fried Big Snapper (Limited). All food is served with rice, potato salad, macaroni pie, and coleslaw.
Special thanks to Orco Bank, CIBC First Caribbean Bank, and the Port of St. Maarten for donating thus far. The Port of St. Maarten and CIBC First Caribbean also supported the 2023 delegates. We encourage businesses and members of the community who have the means to contribute to this important and enlightening trip. For more information on how you can do such, please reach out to Mrs. Connie Francis-Gumbs at 550-8971 or sxmyouthcouncil@gmail.com.
