Press Release

Public Affairs Officer of the U.S Embassy handing over the DVDs to Celeste Clarke-Cox of the Ministry of Education while students of St. Winifred’s and the Irvin Wilson School look on.

Bridgetown, Barbados, Thursday, April 17, 2008 – A copy of Steven Spielberg’s epic film Amistad will soon be available in every secondary school.

Today as part of its continuing support of the historic visit of the schooner Amistad, the United States Embassy presented 35 copies of the movie to the Ministry of Education.

The presentation, which  took place dockside at the Flour Mill where the replica of the 19th century cargo schooner is anchored, was witnessed by a number of school children lined up to tour the ship.

In handing over the DVDs, the Embassy’s Public Affairs Officer John Roberts said the U.S. government was very pleased to support the visit of the Amistad. ”This is truly a historic visit and the U.S Embassy was thrilled to have played a role in making The Amistad Freedom Tour Barbados the success that it has been so far.”

He said the donation of the DVDs to the schools was just a continuation of the relationship the Embassy has fostered with local educational institutions. “We are pleased to continue the excellent relationship we have with the Ministry of Education in Barbados,” he said.

Students of the Belmont Primary School as they gave a riveting performance called “Freedom of Life” at yesterday’s children’s concert in Bridgetown.

Roberts added that since late last year the Embassy had given close to 2 000 books, CDs and DVDs to primary and secondary schools as well as to the University of the West Indies and a lot more donations of educational materials were planned.

Later in the morning Roberts journeyed to Wickham/Lewis Boardwalk to witness the first of two lunch time children’s concerts also sponsored by the Embassy and put on in support of the visit of the Amistad.

The other concert will take place at the same venue on Friday April 18th, 2008 starting at 11:30a.m.

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