The Office of the Prime Minister (Gender and Child Affairs) in collaboration with the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs (MSYA) and United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) hosted a Summit and Awards Function in commemoration of World Children’s Day and the 30th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child.
The Summit provided a platform for children to have their voices heard. The information received from participants will be used to finalise the National Youth Policy and the Implementation Plan for the National Child Policy. Awards were given to students who participated in the Child Rights Ambassadors Programme.
Forty-six (46) children from fifteen (15) schools and three (3) Community Residences across Trinidad and Tobago participated in the Child Right Ambassadors Programme. These Ambassadors were trained and empowered to educate their peers on the rights and responsibilities of a child using creative arts and innovative methods of communications.
Ambassadors were asked to submit creative presentations and videos highlighting activities they conducted with their peers as they shared information on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Awards were given for the Most Outstanding Community Residence which was awarded to Margaret Kistow Children’s Home, the Most Outstanding Primary School given to Castara Government Primary School, the Most Outstanding Secondary received by Bishop’s High School, Tobago and copping the Most Resilient School Award was the School for Blind Children.
At the Summit and Awards Function, the Honourable Ayanna Webster-Roy, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister praised the Child Rights Ambassadors for “being the good in our world…the change agent and champions in our world.”
Mrs. Sharon Clark-Rowley, Attorney– at-Law, Youth Advocate and wife of Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in her feature address reminded participants that “Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders, tomorrow’s presidents; tomorrow’s teachers and innovators.” She further expressed that “adults must be concerned about the wellbeing of our children… since you are not only the present but you are the future.”
It was a memorable morning, as students were inspired by Dr. Aloys Kamuragiye, UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area and Mr. Bertrand Moses, Coordinator, Child Affairs, Office of the Prime Minister. Children were also treated to a time of engagement and fun with the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (CA) and U-Report.
The Office of the Prime Minister extends special thanks to our many contributors to this event including: UNICEF, U-Report, CA, the MSYA, Caribbean Airlines, MovieTowne, Massy Stores, Five (5) Islands Park and Trinizon. A hearty thanks to all participating schools and Community Residences; their administrators, parents and guardians. To our hard-working Child Right Ambassadors a special thanks for answering the call to be beacons of hope in empowering other children and adults on the rights and responsibilities of children.
The Ambassadors’ presentations will be posted on the Office of the Prime Minister’s (Gender and Child Affairs) Facebook and Instagram pages @genderandchildaffairs.
The event took place on November 19th, 2019.