Culture & Arts Promotion
Jounen Kwéyòl 2019, London, UK.
Importance of Culture and Arts
Culture and its heritage reflect and shape values, beliefs, and aspirations, thereby defining a people’s national identity.
It is important to preserve our cultural heritage, because it keeps our integrity as a people. Without a strong enough sense of national identity, the risk of cultural devaluation is increased and without one, potentially renders one an alien even within one’s own community. Cultural heritage reflects and influences a system of belief, values, and sparks aspirations among its people and in so doing defining a people’s national identity. It is with these in mind, we have included Cultural Heritage Preservation as a part of our Voluntary Service Framework.
Causes & Projects We Support
Cultural perseverance is critical even if we are mindful that things change over the generations and culture does change, however, the roots will always remain.
Peace & Love Contest
Rationale
As part of promoting culture and arts, we have organised the Peace & Love Contest. This contest features competitions in Poster, Essay & Spoken Word Poetry, with the latter being in English and Creole. The contest will be launched in February 2021 and we do hope it will become an annual event. The Contest is open to all Saint Lucian-based young adults between the ages of 12 to 14.
Our Plan
An annual Peace and Love Contest will be organised, offering participation to various age groups over time.
Cultural Events Promotion
Rationale
The very first event organised and showcased by Friends of Saint Lucia was a Jounen Kwéyòl event in 2017. It was a huge success with close to 600 in attendance. Subsequent events were organised in 2018 and 2019 were equally successful, with the latter showcasing 9 young ladies dressed in the Saint Lucian National Costume. That event was by far the most successful.
In summer of 2019, we hosted for the first time in the UK, one of the two Saint Lucian floral festival – The La Woz, which was well received.
Our Plan
We plan to continue to work with different stakeholder to organise and promote these national cultural festivals and courage and support our Clubs and Branches to do the same in the future.
Ou Vlay vive La Woz?
Annou Parler Kwéyòl
Rationale
The Kwéyòl language remains an important aspect of Saint Lucian culture and one we believe should be encouraged to be spoken widely. And proudly. This project is as a result of feedback from Saint Lucians who would like to have a forum where they would get an opportunity to learn it as well as improve on it. This project is hoped to fill that gap and support those wishes to learn and improve on their Kweyol language skills.
Our Plan
We plan to organise a Kwéyòl Speaking Forum where people can join and learn the language in an online environment.
Are you a Kwéyòl Enthusiast?
some causes and projects you can support
We have created a list of possible Causes and Projects that you and your friends may wish to support directly or indirectly. It is just a starting point. You may have some of your own ideas you are welcome to share with us.
Find out more
Our Logo
Do you know the meaning of the symbols of our Logo? Find out more, you may learn a thing or two about the Saint Lucia too.
Our History
Our history is young, maybe too young to be considered history but nonetheless we have one. Find out more about how this idea all started.
Start a Club
Have you ever considered finding a way to serve Saint Lucia or being part of an International Charity serving Saint Lucia? Find out more.