UNESCO Expands its Presence throughout the Federation

St. Kitts and Nevis experienced a surge of UNESCO activity during Holy Week 2025, marked by the annual visit of H.E. David Doyle, the Federation’s Ambassador to UNESCO, and orchestrated by H.E. Nerys Dockery, Secretary-General of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission for UNESCO. The week’s centerpiece was a National Commission session on April 17th, highlighting the expanding scope of UNESCO’s technical expertise deployment in the twin-island nation. This collaboration spans diverse areas, encompassing policy development and capacity building in Education, Cultural Heritage, and Biodiversity. The engagement signifies a deepening partnership between UNESCO and St. Kitts and Nevis, aimed at bolstering national development across multiple sectors. The presence of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister responsible for UNESCO Affairs, Hon. Dr. Geoffrey Hanley, underscored the government’s commitment to the partnership.

The National Commission meeting served as a platform to review the progress of eight concurrent UNESCO projects in the Federation. These initiatives, supported by expert guidance and funding, address a range of priorities. These include enhancing the teaching profession through partnerships with African universities, strengthening biodiversity conservation within the St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve, restructuring the national accreditation system for higher education, and safeguarding the nation’s intangible cultural heritage. Ambassador Doyle emphasized the significant strides made in these areas, showcasing the tangible impact of UNESCO’s involvement. The diversity of projects demonstrates the breadth of UNESCO’s engagement and its contribution to strengthening various aspects of St. Kitts and Nevis’ development.

Beyond the ongoing projects, the discussions also explored potential future collaborations. Among these was the integration of African ancestral history into the national curriculum, reflecting a commitment to acknowledging and understanding the nation’s historical roots. Another prospective initiative involved a “City-Twinning” program connecting seaports along the transatlantic slave route, linking St. Kitts and Nevis with Ghana and European countries within UNESCO’s Network of Places of History and Memory linked to Enslavement and the Slave Trade. Secretary-General Dockery emphasized the importance of these initiatives in fostering national identity and cultural consciousness, aligning with UNESCO’s global efforts to combat racism and discrimination.

Several flagship UNESCO projects were highlighted during the session. Notable among these was the culmination of a three-year biodiversity project funded by Italy through the UNESCO Man and Biosphere Programme. This initiative focused on enhancing the sustainability and biodiversity of the St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve (SMBR). The project emphasized improved agricultural practices, biodiversity-led sustainable agriculture, and resource management. Mrs. Telca Wallace, the biosphere reserve coordinator, detailed the project’s achievements, which encompassed improving agricultural techniques, conserving indigenous fruits, combating soil erosion, and exploring drought-resistant seed varieties. The project reflects a commitment to sustainable environmental management and community development within the biosphere reserve.

Further demonstrating the breadth of UNESCO’s engagement, another key project highlighted was the partnership between the Ministry of Education and the Open University of Tanzania (OUT). This collaboration facilitated the enrollment of twenty teachers from St. Kitts and Nevis in OUT’s Bachelor’s Degree Education programmes. Minister Hanley emphasized the importance of this initiative in professionalizing the teaching force, a key priority for the government. This partnership, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, is expected to serve as a model for other regional nations, showcasing the potential for international collaboration in strengthening education systems.

The meeting also explored the potential for UNESCO’s expertise in developing the Federation’s cultural and creative industries. Both Ambassador Doyle and Secretary-General Dockery underscored the importance of leveraging UNESCO’s capacity-building and training resources to foster more structured and professional cultural sectors. This focus on capacity building aims to attract private investment and promote sustainable growth within the cultural and creative economies. Beyond these key projects, the National Commission also received updates on various other ongoing UNESCO initiatives, including the restructuring of the national qualifications accreditation system, progress towards anti-doping in sport compliance, the development of a national intangible cultural heritage policy, and the identification of potential World Heritage sites.

Ambassador Doyle’s visit concluded with a briefing with Senator the Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment. This meeting focused on the planned transformation of the St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve into a Centre of Excellence for the elimination of single-use plastics, aligning with the government’s ongoing efforts to phase out single-use plastics. This initiative underscores the commitment of St. Kitts and Nevis to environmental sustainability and its collaboration with UNESCO in achieving this goal. A multi-stakeholder consultation on the single-use plastic ban is scheduled for July 2025, highlighting the collaborative approach to addressing environmental challenges. This busy week of UNESCO activity demonstrated the multifaceted nature of the partnership between the organization and St. Kitts and Nevis, covering areas from education and biodiversity to cultural heritage and sustainable development. The collaborative efforts aim to enhance the Federation’s capacity and promote sustainable growth across various sectors.