As part of celebrations to mark Heritage Month from June 1 ??? 30, the Barbados World Heritage Committee, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth in collaboration with the National Sports Council will be staging the Barbados World Heritage 5 K Run and Walk.

It will take place on Sunday, June 1, commencing at 4.00 p.m. with participants starting at Coleridge Street in front of the Carnegie Building and ending at the Bay Street Esplanade.??

Participants will go along a route that will traverse the 400 year-old serpentine streets in Historic Bridgetown.

Along the way, the walkers in particular will be further educated about the many historic events that took place within Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, and about the historic buildings, some of which are in dire need of maintenance and restoration.

This event will target both professional and amateur runners and walkers and is designed to highlight the outstanding universal value of Barbados??? first UNESCO World Heritage Property, ???Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison???.

Organisers also want to sensitise participants about the buildings within the Historic Property; raise awareness about the plans of Barbados??? World Heritage. It is also an effort to bring sporting and cultural activities back into The City.

The main focus is to garner support for the restoration of the Carnegie Building which, until a few years ago, was the home of the Public Library. Due to a lack of maintenance and funding the building which also housed the Children???s Library was abandoned.

The history of the building goes back to the early 1900s, when the Scottish- American philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, donated a grant to sponsor the construction of a free library and in 1904 the Carnegie Library was opened to the public.

Prizes will be awarded for the first, second and third places in both events. For further information, please contact the Barbados World Heritage Committee Co/The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth at 3102710/2729 or Miss Mona Alleyne, National Sports Council at 430-7700.

Registration forms may be collected from the National Sports Council, Blenheim House, My Lord???s Hill, St. Michael, or the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall, St. Michael, between 9:00 a.m. and 4.30 p.m. Registration will commence on May 9, and will conclude on May 28.

There will be a registration fee of $25.00, which will include a t-shirt that bears the image of the Carnegie Building. All proceeds will go towards the National Restoration effort, soon to be launched by the Task Force for the Restoration of Barbados??? Built Heritage.

cathy.lashley@barbados.gov.bb

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