Preparations for the second biennial diaspora conference, officially known as the Barbados Network Consultation 2012, are fully on stream and gathering momentum.
The conference will be youth centered, as recommended at the consultation in 2010, with the overall objective being to maintain and increase the interest of 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation youth of Barbadian descent in things Barbadian and to connect Barbadian youth at home and abroad.
Plans are proceeding apace with the Planning Committee for the conference, chaired by Senator the Hon. Maxine McClean, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade having met in early January as well as some of the working groups charged with looking at various aspects of the conference. These working groups comprise members of “Team Barbados” including representatives of the Barbados Tourism Authority, Invest Barbados, the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation, private sector representatives as well as staff of several Ministries and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Online registration for the conference is expected to be launched within the coming weeks and conference planners are exploring the possibility of special airline and hotel packages for participants.
Barbados’ overseas Missions, in conjunction with the various Barbadian organizations, continue to play a crucial role in generating ideas and in getting the word out to the Barbadian communities and Minister McClean has commended them for their enthusiastic response and urged that they use every means at their disposal to help make this conference a success.
The conference will be held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre from August 2nd to August 10th, 2012. It is expected to attract approximately 1000 participants.
