he 11th edition of “Christmas in the Square”, an annual initiative by the Commonwealth Society of Barbados (RCS Barbados), has been hailed as a resounding success, with organisers praising the creativity and dedication of its participants.
Miles Weekes, a committee member for the event, was happy about the turnout, saying “this year it went reasonably well. We had 184 trees in total, and these were put up by 136 different organisations, including over 100 schools, who were the main participants in the project.”
The project, which began in 2014 after it was conceptualised by President, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason (then Madame Justice) and Cheryll Belle, aims to educate Barbadian youth about the wider world, particularly the Commonwealth of Nations.
Students are encouraged to use recyclable materials to creatively represent a chosen country, focusing on elements such as flora, fauna, culture and national symbols.
“The project is an educational initiative to help the young people of Barbados understand more about the world they live in,” Weekes explained. “They depict the flowers, the animals, the culture, the people, the flags—anything they think is important and would identify the country to someone looking at the decoration of the tree.”
Belle, who is the chairperson of RCS, reflected on the origins and evolution of the initiative. “This started in 2014 as a way of helping children learn more about Commonwealth countries. It wasn’t about Christmas originally, but we used Christmas trees as a medium for decoration. Every year we’ve grown, and now we’ve gone beyond the 56 Commonwealth countries to embrace the whole world.”
The enthusiasm of participants, both students and teachers, has been a highlight of the event. “The children at the schools really enjoy decorating the trees and asking questions,” she noted. “Even the teachers are excited about it. Kudos to the young people of Barbados – they’re great!”
The intricate decorations demonstrated the dedication of those involved. “If you look at some of the decorations, you will see the time and patience both the teachers and the students have put into it,” the chairperson added. “I could never say thank you enough to the principals and schools for participating over the last 11 years.”
As organisers look to the future plans are already being discussed to build on this year’s success. “It takes about a whole year to plan this project and coordinate it because it’s an expensive project with a lot of begging and asking for support,” Belle explained. “We will revisit it, see what difficulties we had, and if we can overcome them, we’ll start again next year.”
Despite the challenges, the organisers remain committed to ensuring “Christmas in the Square” continues to be a cherished tradition. “We can’t tell you from now what will happen this year,” Belle said, “but I would love to see it, and we are hoping that it will be here.”
The event continues to inspire young minds and foster a deeper understanding of global cultures, proving that the spirit of Christmas can indeed be a vehicle for education and creativity.
