St Kitts and Nevis: Samal Duggins joins opening of Black History Month celebrations

St Kitts and Nevis: Minister of Sports and Agriculture Samal Duggins felt honoured to join the Brimstone Hill Fortress History and Heritage Month ceremony. The event marked the start of Black History Month celebrations. While sharing glimpses of the event, Minister Duggins outlined, "Embracing our arts, culture, and identity at the Brimstone Hill Fortress History and Heritage Month ceremony was truly enriching. It was a poignant start to our Black History Month celebrations."

He said that as the Minister of Culture, he stood with a deep conviction in the transformative power of the Arts and Culture and stressed, "Today, I emphasize the urgent need for re-educating our people on the invaluable tapestry that shapes our identity."

According to Samal Duggins, St Kitts' cultural heritage is not just a collection of artefacts but is the heart of the country, which has been resonating through generations. "To reconnect with our roots is to rediscover the essence of who we are," he added. Every year, "History and Heritage Month" in the Federation is celebrated in February and features a variety of activities by the Coordination Committee, which includes the Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park Society, the Department of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the St. Christopher National Trust and National Museum, and the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society - NHCS. Black History Month is observed in St Kitts and Nevis with huge celebrations, and during this time, people remember those who made exceptional achievements in history.

In addition to this, Premier Mark Brantley is also looking forward to celebrating the event. As the month began, he said that he wanted to blend the celebration with the spirit of Culturama 50.

The Premier added, "This year's Culturama theme, "Celebrating Culture, Embracing History It's Culturama 50!" resonates deeply, and throughout February, our focus is on highlighting the incredible cultural icons right here on Nevis!"

Mark Brantley invited everyone to join him in honouring Nevisian icons. He said that their goal is to shine a spotlight on the outstanding individuals who help make significant contributions to the culture.

While asking everyone to share their stories, he said, "Share your insights, stories, and pictures and help us identify those hidden gems not yet in our archives," and added that everyone's contributions will make this celebration even more vibrant!