Barbados Celebrates World Children's Day
Too many children still feel excluded, says UNICEF official
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, 18 November 2022 - A new Children’s Wall of Inclusion has been unveiled in Barbados showcasing a society where no child is left behind.
However, UNICEF Deputy Representative for the Eastern Caribbean, Tanya Radosavljevic, believes there is still work to be done to make this dream a reality.
During the unveiling ceremony at the National Botanical Gardens to mark World Children’s Day, she shared new U-Report data, suggesting that a large percentage of children in the Eastern Caribbean feel excluded in their schools and communities.
Ms. Radosavljevic noted that while high levels of discrimination, especially in migrant and refugee communities is well documented globally, there are “deeply disturbing” trends in the region as well.
"A significant three out of four young children that participated in this poll said that they had experienced discrimination in the recent past and more than half said this discrimination took place in school or in their communities."
"For us adults, this tells us that we have a lot of work to do to reach the compact that we reached with children when we signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child," Ms Radosavljevic said.
Toward an inclusive society
The UNICEF Deputy Representative identified World Children’s Day as an opportunity to create spaces that foster inclusion and nurture a spirit of activism among children.
“World Children’s Day is very important and the unveiling of this wall of inclusion shares the hopes and aspirations of what it means to be an inclusive Barbados. For us as adults, I call on you to listen to these voices, the voices of our children,” Ms Radosavljevic added.
The mural was conceptualized and designed by the Santrio Creative comprising siblings Nikolai, Sergio and Alexei Charles. They worked with several primary and secondary school students to bring the project to life.
UNICEF Youth Advocate Maria Marshall explained that the wall, located in a “child friendly” garden, celebrates multicultural and multiethnic youth. It features a child in a wheelchair holding a loudspeaker, underscoring the need for every child to have a voice. Smiling multiethnic faces represent the reality that all children are born with the capacity to love unconditionally.
“The theme of inclusion is demonstrated through a world or a place where love and equality dominate to quell discrimination,” said Marshall.
During the ceremony, children from various institutions, including the St Matthew’s Primary, the Haynesville Youth Group, the Barbados Community College and the St Alban’s Primary, showcased their talent in music, poetry, and drama.
We see you, we feel you, we hear you
Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley attended the event along with Minister of Home Affairs, Wilfred Abrahams, Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, and Minister of the Environment and National Beautification, Adrian Forde. They joined students and UNICEF officials to place the finishing touches on the new mural.
This is our way of saying that we see you, we feel you, we hear you, but more importantly, you have a role to play. I don’t want any of you to forget that, because this country will be as good as you allow it to be,” said Prime Minister Mottley.
"When you look in the mirror, you must see someone you love, you need to see someone you will uplift all the time."
Ms Mottley thanked the artists as she touted the creation of murals and other artistic expressions, not only as a means for creatives to earn an income, but as an outlet for them to reinforce positive messages.
