Minister of Culture, John King, receives a cheque for $25,000 from Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Brand Experience at Sagicor Life, Carolyn Shepherd (right) while acting Coordinator of the Community Independence Celebrations Secretariat, Jessica Parris, looks on. (GP)

Young people are being encouraged to get involved and have a vision for the annual lighting ceremony, which signals the start of Barbados’ Independence celebrations.

Minister of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports, John King, made this call today as he accepted a $25,000 cheque from sponsor Sagicor Life Inc., ahead of the lighting ceremony.

The annual event is set to get under way at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, November 1, in Heroes Square, The City.

“I want younger people to be encouraged and get involved in the Lighting Ceremony and actually have their own vision for it.  When they think of light, what is it that they want the rest of the world to understand about Barbados’ Independence, and what is this light that we are going to follow to reach any specific goal or target that they set before them,” Mr. King said at the ministry’s Sky Mall, Haggatt Hall office.

The minister further noted that the lighting ceremony carried more significance than just the actual physical turning on of lights.  He added that when one thought about lighting things, they should think about education and thinking outside of the box.

“Think about light in terms of the warmth you want us to have for each other as human beings and as Barbadians, and for the rest of the world coming in to visit us,” Mr. King said.

Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Brand Experience at Sagicor Life, Carolyn Shepherd, described the lighting ceremony as a showcase of Barbados’ culture to the rest of the world.

She added that the presence of parish ambassadors and community groups showed that there was also a coming together of people to celebrate this island’s culture.

“Sagicor’s mission and mandate is to improve the lives of people in communities in which we operate.  The lighting ceremony is a key example of doing that for Barbados,” she said, noting that Sagicor will continue to be a sponsor.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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