NEWS / PROJECTS: Caribbean youth express themselves through art

Caribbean youth express themselves through art

GEORGETOWN, 28 August 2008 – Caribbean imagery and creativity took center stage at the first ever CARIFESTA children’s art exhibition and prize ceremony held today. UNICEF in collaboration with the CARIFESTA Secretariat and the regional Ministries of Culture and Education, coordinated the competition which invited children aged eight through 18 to express their creative abilities.

According to the chief judge of the competition, Mr. Alim Hussein, working under the theme, “ONE CARIBBEAN, ONE PURPOSE, OUR LIFE, OUR CULTURE” the children created beautiful artistic works with a distinctive Caribbean flavour and expression.

“Children need space to create and to develop in order to produce well rounded adults. We are all proud of our Caribbean children and creativity is one of the biggest export products for the Caribbean in terms of literature, music and art,” explained Mr. Johannes Wedenig, UNICEF Representative, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Three regional winners, 16 year old Winston Alexander from Guyana, 13 year old Jonathan Jagdeo, from Trinidad and Tobago, and 11 year old Darlene Dolabaille, from Trinidad and Tobago, received prizes for their outstanding pieces which depicted Caribbean imagery including Caribbean flags, music, sport and dance. UNICEF rewarded three youths with computers for their efforts.

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