Curacao's Youth Campaign: How Can You Benefit?

April 13, 2018

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The youth campaign in Curacao was based on the National Development Plan (NDP) for Curaçao. The NDP timeframe has been set for 2015-2030 and by then the youth will (be getting ready to) be in charge. 

Thus the youth is one of the main interest groups that would benefit from a successful implementation of the NDP.

On January 9, 2018 the Ministry of Economic Development and the UNDP officially launched the NDP Youth Campaign.  The main aim of the campaign is to let the youth (from 15-18 yrs.) form a group as part of their organization (school, scouting, sport club etc.) and provide us with their input on how the successful implementation of one of the areas (of their choice) from the NDP will benefit them. 

They should also indicate how they think their interpretation of the implementation relates to one or more SDGs. Their input should be provided in a creative way, e.g. a short video, an audio spot, a poem, a short story, a song, a rap, a painting, a mural etc.

 A total of 13 art pieces were received (3 on economy, 3 on education, 5 on sustainability and 2 on national identity) from 4 different organizations by 39 youngsters: 

1. Kolegio Alejandro Paula (local High School with 8 art pieces) 

2. St. Antonius Scouting Group (1) 

3. Excel Arts Academy (local dance and arts academy with 2 pieces) and 

4. Sentro di Detenshon i Korekshon Kòrsou (SDKK/the prison of Curaçao with 2 art pieces).

 For Economy the winning piece was a concept app called CuraGreen app. This mobile app focuses on several aspects of planting and agriculture.

For Education the winning piece was a rap song by Excel Arts Academy in which they focused on how they see education for Curaçao in 2030.

For Sustainability the winning piece was an audiovisual production that focuses on the use of solar energy and how it can be beneficial for Curaçao.

For National Identity the winning piece was a painting from Excel Arts Academy titled: Values. The painting represents several aspects of the culture and national heritage of Curaçao.

 There was a special price for the youth that regretfully are in the prison in Curaçao (Sentro pa Detenshon i Korekshon Kòrsou) but nonetheless were not excluded from this campaign.

Their wining art piece was a poem called "A Cry into the Dessert" that illustrated how education can break the chains of incarceration.

 Each organization received a prize of ANG 2,000 (US$1,111) for their winning art piece.

And for each individual student of the winning teams a voucher of ANG 100 (US$55) at a local computer store or book store. The winning team for the economic pillar received an additional prize from the Ministry of Economic Development in the form of a lunch with the Minister of Economic Development. Mr. Steven Martina.