Madam President, the Ministry is the steward of Bermuda’s cultural heritage and leads in advancing amateur sport and developing policies for tourism. Our job is to celebrate and preserve our culture and heritage, and support programmes for athletes, artists and tourism-based activities.
Madam President, we recognize the importance of programs designed to assist in the development of our young people. Youth was a part of the Ministry for many years and during that time we developed many initiatives to support their growth and well-being.
Madam President, over the past several years the following initiatives and programs to support the development of our young people are as follows:
a. The National Youth Policy 2021 -2026 was launched. It provides a strategic framework for addressing the needs and aspirations of young people aged 10 to 29, with a focus on six priority areas: education and training, health and well-being, civic participation, employment and entrepreneurship, culture and identity and safety and protection;
b. The Youth Entrepreneurship initiative, was designed to offer training, mentorship and funding opportunities for young entrepreneurs who aspire to start and grow a business of their own;
c. The Youth Parliament which gives young people a platform to debate and discuss issues of national and global importance, as well as to develop their leadership and communication skills, a project which is particularly close to my heart as I served as Senior Advisor to the Youth Parliament for over a decade;
d. The Youth Community Action Programme, encourages young people to get involved in community service and social action projects that address local challenges and contribute to positive social change and builds individual character;
Madam President, the future continues to look promising for our young Bermudians. The ministry has plans to:
a. Establish a National Youth Council, that will serve as a representative and advisory body for young people and facilitate their participation in decision-making processes;
b. Launch a Youth Innovation Challenge that will invite young people to submit innovative solutions to address social and environmental issues in Bermuda and wherever possible determine how artificial intelligence and other technological advancements can promote their ideas;
c. Expand the Youth Innovation Entrepreneurship initiative to include more sectors and industries such as technology, tourism and green economy;
d. Strengthening the Youth Parliament by providing more training and resources for the member and increasing their engagement with the Government and other stakeholders;
e. Enhancing the Youth Arts and Culture Programme by creating more opportunities for young artists and cultural practitioners to showcase their talents and access international networks and markets.
Madam President, the ministry values the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Bermuda and its role in shaping the island’s identity in the global landscape. Our various initiatives and programmes available over the past several years offered an expansion of themes aimed to socialize the community in a positive way. Here are a few examples worth mentioning:
a. The National Cultural Heritage policy which launched in 2021 as a groundbreaking government policy aimed at safeguarding the tangible and intangible heritage of Bermuda, such as historic buildings, monuments, landscapes, traditions, language, arts and crafts;
b. The Creatives.bm Catalogue, launched in 2019 as an online hub showcasing Bermuda’s vibrant creative community both locally and overseas, including musicians, visual artists, writers, filmmakers and designers;
c. The International Gombey Festival Weekend continues to flourish after its official launch in 2017. The iconic folk dance and its connections to other traditions of the African diaspora featured local and international performers, workshops, lectures and exhibitions;
d. The Bermuda Day Parade, that is decades old was revived in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to the global pandemic. The support of this annual activity continues to be impressive and demonstrates the resilience and spirit of the community. Even the year it rained Madam President, our community did not disappoint onlookers and participants stayed the course to ensure the success of a cultural tradition;
For more please visit the source: Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport
