INTERNATIONAL DAY

April 2001 Table of Contents

INTERNATIONAL DAY

Schools all over The Bahamas celebrated Commonwealth Day recently but Abaco Central High School added a little twist. After the Commonwealth Day activities were concluded the programme for the day was open to all nations.

Abaco Central started this international programme in the year 1 BF (Before Floyd). Many of the teachers at the school were uncomfortable with promoting a celebration which left out some 25% of the student body and many non-Commonwealth nationals on the teaching staff. So it was decided to fulfil the activities of Commonwealth Day and then embrace all other nations.

International Day was held on 16th March and the festivities began with a rally then the reading of the Queen's Commonwealth Day speech. There were presentations - dances, songs - by several nations, starting with The Bahamas. Particularly effective were the performances by Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti and Guyana.

The public were then invited to visit classrooms which had been decked out with information on the various countries and taste some of their distinctive food. Roti, curry, pork pie, this rice, that rice - dozens of taste experiences were on offer. Each national room played the music their own country lo in the afternoon Abaco's Stone McEwan entertained everybody with his large repertoire of songs.

Look out for International Day next year, for there will be nowhere else on Abaco you can find such a variety of national dishes, and find out so much in such a pleasant way about our neighbours in the world.

April 2001 Table of Contents