Three young Grenadian Creatives, recently returned to Grenada from Cuba after participating in The Programme Transcultura: A programme integrating Cuba, The Caribbean and the European Union through culture and creativity. The programme is being implemented by UNESCO and funded by European Union (EU) through UNESCO’s regional office for Culture in Latin America and The Caribbean based in Vedado, la Havana, Cuba.
Transcultura: Integrating Cuba, Latin America, The Caribbean and The European Union is UNESCO’s largest initiative in Latin America and the Caribbean. The programme aims to harness diversity and build bridges between peoples and culture from different linguistic areas. It is based on two basic components: on strengthening the skills and capacities of young cultural professionals and secondly on enhancing opportunities through knowledge transfer exchanges.
The programme is being coordinated by the Caribbean Cultural Hub in Havana, Cuba, where scholarships are being offered, to enable beneficiaries to attend training courses on themes relative to the cultural and creative industries. The Programme is a platform for young creatives in the Caribbean and Latin America and creates opportunities for entrepreneurship, socio-economic projects and collaboration in the cultural and creative sector, heritage and tourism within the Caribbean region and the EU through events and incubator projects.
The UNESCO Transcultura Programme offers 132 face to face scholarships, in 11 different courses, and is being held between October 2nd, and November 10th,2023. The courses are being taught in English and Spanish and have a duration of two weeks. The programme provides participants with direct experiences in Cuban Cultural Training Institutions such as the International Film and Television School, The University of the Arts (ISA) The Higher Institute of Design (SPI) ect.
The three Grenadian beneficiaries were: Ms. Kisha Miller, a teacher at the Boca Secondary School, who is also the owner of a small business in the creative industry.
Ms. Miller completed a Certificate Course in Branding and Marketing. She was accompanied by Ms. Stacy Bedeau, another teacher attached to the Dover Government School in Carriacou. Ms. Bedeau completed her course in Needle Work and Fashion Design. The other participant was Ms. Antonia Coutain a Police officer and Director of a non profit organization – Officer Coutain also completed the course of Study in Needle Work and Fashion Design.
During their short stay in Cuba, The Grenadian beneficiaries met on two separate occasions with Grenada’s Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba – Glen Noel – Ambassador Noel, welcomed the participants to Cuba and offered to provide any assistance they may need. At the end of the course, the participants shared their collective experience, their hopes, aspirations and future endeavours on their return to Grenada.
Grenada Embassy Havana