Barbados: Diplomat For a Day competition empowers young women

Young Barbadian women aspiring to join the diplomatic services got a chance to be “Diplomat for a Day” through an annual competition organized by the British & Canadian High Commissions to celebrate International Women’s Day.

The competition opened to the Barbadian public on 8^th January 2024, the deadline was the 31^st of the same month. The winners were contacted last weekend on the 16^th and on the 18^th the UkinCaribbean Twitter account shared that “Today, in partnership with @CanHCBarbados, we held our first learning and development session w/ finalists of our 2024 “Diplomat For A Day” competition, a competition in commemoration of International Women’s Day (IWD).” Complimented by a compilation of Instagram stories they shared on the same day.

The point of the competition is to empower the youth of Barbados and create several opportunities for their voices to be heard. The competition was open to all Barbadians aged 16 to 24.

The selected applicants had to record a sixty second long video of themselves responding to the question “If you were diplomat for a day, what activity would you carry out to inspire inclusion among Barbadian youth.”

The winners will be awarded the privilege of spending a day at the embassies of Luxembourg, shadowing high ranking officials and learning about the day-to-day affairs and workings of a diplomat.

This also demonstrates the strong ties between the three nations; the initiative created opportunities for cross-cultural engagement, knowledge and skill sharing, networking and entrepreneurial opportunities and so forth.

The initiative will come full circle with a full-day program for four outstanding candidates hosted by H E Scott Furssedonn-Wood, British High Commissioner, and H E Lilian Chatterjee, High Commissioner of Canada, on IWD on Friday 8th March 2024.

The competition builds on previous initiatives, including High Commissioner for a Day and LeadHER for a Day. The competition includes learning activities about foreign policy, diplomacy, governance, democracy, advocacy, and communications. Staff from the high commissions, governmental, civil society, and international partners facilitate the sessions.

As the journey unfolds, with winners poised to step into the shoes of diplomats at the embassies of Luxembourg, the stage is set for a day of immersive learning and cultural exchange. This commendable effort underscores the enduring commitment of the participating nations to mentorship, cross-cultural understanding, and the advancement of women in diplomacy.