SKN Students Return From Cook Islands
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
November 06, 2008 (SKNIS)
“Beautiful people,” culture maintained” “recycling,” and “no wasting” were some of the words used by the returning members of UNESCO Small Islands Voice (SIV) students when they described their experience in the Cook Islands, in the Pacific.
Markysa O’Loughlin, Makeila Armstrong and Jharez Taylor all affirmed that the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis could borrow a page or two from the Cook Islands when it came to sustainable development. The UNESCO SIV initiative was created and launched with the objective of bringing to the fore such issues pertaining to environment and development.
These “Conch Shells” of the Back Chat group, returned last Monday, enthused with what they had seen, heard, tasted, touched and even smelled of island culture preservation. While there, they gave Cook Islanders a taste of the Kittitian-Nevisian culture through presentations which included a history of the Caribbean including the Pre and Post-Emancipation era along with the present era. The students sang excerpts of King Konris’ “One Song,” recited original poetry, played steel pan and danced.
The exchange of culture went both ways and one of the features that impressed the three Federal Ambassadors was a trip to Aitutaki Island which they described as being 75 percent water protected by coral reefs.
