ST. KITTS-NEVIS NATIONAL CULTURAL POLICY LAUNCH HIGHLIGHTS

St. Kitts and Nevis continues the process of moving Towards a National Cultural Policy with Consultations facilitated by the St. Kitts-Nevis Departments of Culture in collaboration with UNESCO National Commission.  The Consultation process began On Tuesday June 22nd 2010 with the arrival of consultant Sydney Bartley - Director of Culture in the Ministry of Education,Youth and Culture in Jamaica and will continue with various stakeholders on Monday August 22nd to Saturday August 27th 2011.


The process has been fueled by the UNESCO National Commission in collaboration with Advisory Committee Members who have been working behind the scenes to sensitize the public about development of the National Cultural Policy and organizing the upcoming consultations that will be held with St. Kitts and Nevis Ministries of Education, Tourism, Foreign Trade, Nevis National Cultural Foundation, the Carnival Committee, the Artistic and Music Community, Youth Organizations, Religious Groups and the public.

On June 14th 2011 St. Kitts and Nevis Launched the National Cultural Policy at the Eastern Central Caribbean Bank in Bird Rock St. Kitts.  The audience was invited by Master of Ceremonies Sharon Rattan - Permanent Secretary for St. Kitts Department of Culture, to join her in the National Museum re-created on stage, to learn about the importance of having a Cultural Policy.  Speeches from the Honorable Marcella Liburd - Minister of Culture, Antonio Maynard - Secretary General for UNESCO National Commission, Honorable Nigel Carty Minister of Education with responsibility for UNESCO and Honorable Hensley Daniel Nevis Minister of Culture were interspersed with a number of theatrical and cultural presentations.  

In February 2010 Ms. himalchuli Gurung - Program Specialist for Culture UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office met with Antonio Maynard, Secretary General for St. Kitts-Nevis National Commission for UNESCO, Sharon Rattan - Permanent Secretary for St. Kitts Department of Culture and Creighton Pencheon - Director of St. Kitts Department of Culture to inform them that UNESCO's Participation is in full support of funding the establishment of a National Cultural Policy for St. Kitts and Nevis. 

Since then, the move "Towards a National Cultural Policy" for St. Kitts and Nevis has seen the creation of a National Advisory Committee that consists of a variety of representatives some from the National Trust, Brimstone Hill Fortress, Ministry of Education, the National Archives, Department of Culture and different stakeholders from both St. Kitts and Nevis.

This week the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the UNESCO National Commission invites all interested persons in our community to attend a number of important meetings with Mr. Sydney Bartley a consultant from Jamaica who is expected to meet with persons involved in Fashion Design, Heritage preservation, Visual, Dance, Drama Literary and Culinary Arts on Tuesday 23^rd August at 2:00pm at the NEMA building, then later that same afternoon at 5:00pm he will meet all persons involved in music. Then on Wednesday 24^th August at 6:00pm he will meet with persons at a town hall meeting at the Anglican Church Hall, Sandy Point.  On Thursday August 25th and Friday August 26th Mr. Bartley will be visiting stakeholders in Nevis.

Check the following link for photographs from the consultations 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Kitts-Department-of-Culture/117273781646746?sk=photos

Press Release (22/08/11)

St. Kitts Department of Culture

Research & Documentation Unit

St. Kitts-Nevis National Cultural Policy

Email: stkittsculture@gmail.com