Press Release March 2009
TOURISM & EDUCATION OFFICIALS VISIT UK PRIMARY SCHOOLS
MARCH 9TH-17TH TO BEGIN ?SOUNDS LIKE TOBAGO? INITIATIVE
UK primary school class to win educational trip to Tobago
This week, seven UK primary schools will be welcoming delegates from the Tobago House of Assembly, as part of a new education programme, ?Sounds Like Tobago?, funded by the Tobago government. The initiative will provide UK primary school children with the chance to learn more about the history, music, culture and geography of the Caribbean island, through a series of fun and interactive lessons.
The delegation will comprise representatives from the Department of Education, Youth and Sport, and the Department of Tourism from the Tobago House Assembly, including Heather Caruth, Administrator for Education, Youth & Sport; Elinore King, Schools Supervisor; Mr John Arnold, Event Co-ordinator , Avion Hercules and Oona McNeil, Development Officers.
The delegation will be accompanied by its very own steel pannist and videographer.
The vision of the Tobago House of Assembly is to introduce the ?Sounds Like Tobago? programme to primary schools countrywide and regularly visit the UK to check in on the enrolled classes and engage new ones. The inaugural initial tour will include the following:
Monday 9th March: Ripley Court School in Ripley, Surrey
Tuesday 10th March: The Vineyard School in Richmond, Surrey
Wednesday 11th March: Christs School in Richmond, Surrey
Wednesday 11th March ?(2.30pm) Cleves School Weybridge ,Surrey
Thursday 12th March: St James C.E Junior School in Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Monday 16th March: Northampton Independent Grammar School in Pitsford, Northampton
Tuesday 17th March: Bickley Primary in Bromley, Greater London
Signal Hill primary school in Tobago has also been selected to take part in the initiative to provide links between the two countries and encourage peer-to-peer learning between the children of different cultures. The initiative is being sustained by a series of projects, supported by specially designed packs that include games and puzzles, a poster, badge, sticker, carry case and crayons.
The ?Sounds Like Tobago? programme includes a web site, www.soundsliketobago.com, which goes live on 9 March and is being run by children from both countries to further cement community links and exchange programmes between the UK and Tobago. The children will be expected to update the contents of the website with footage, blogs and other relevant information.
Tobago delegates will also launch a new competition on their tour of the UK, encouraging classes to design a steel pan. The winners will have the exciting opportunity to travel to the island to see their steel pan design being made. The steel pan is an important part of Tobago?s heritage and the competition has been designed to bring to life, and encourage understanding of, the island?s music, community, celebrations and diversity.
Oswald Williams, Secretary of Tourism & Transportation, will be making a stop over visit on Tuesday March 17th to say a special thank you to Bickley Primary School in Bromley. Bickley?s school project in 2008, helped form the idea for ?Sounds Like Tobago?, commented:
?There is a common misconception in overseas markets that Caribbean islands have the same culture, infrastructure and make-up across the board. However, like the other islands, Tobago has an independent identity with its own traditions, festivals and musical heritage. For example, not many people know that the steel pan originally hails from Trinidad & Tobago or that due to proximity to Venezuela, Tobago shares much of the tropical greenery, climate and eco-systems of that part of the South Caribbean and has the oldest rainforest in the Western Hemisphere.
?We wanted to find a way of communicating this message and educating children about Tobago, while supporting teachers with an interactive and exciting addition to their curriculum. This initiative provides children with an engaging opportunity to learn about another culture and way of life. The children in Trinidad & Tobago are also very excited about taking part in the programme ? and of course, meeting the winning class next year.?
To follow the activity of the children on the programme, visit www.soundsliketobago.com and for more information on holidaying in Trinidad & Tobago, visit www.gotrinidadandtobago.com or www.visittobago.gov.tt
Media requiring further information should contact
Elizabeth Warburton or Chloe Handy at Fleishman-Hillard on 0207 306 9000
trinidadandtobago@fleishmaneurope.com or info@soundsliketobago.com
Manager of the Trinidad & Tobago-UK Tourist Office(TDC) is:
Ms. Nova Alexander-Free phone 0800 804 8787
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