Storytime with Bocas Lit Fest

ON September 7, the Bocas Lit Fest hosted a storytelling and story creation event aimed at promoting the inclusion of refugee and migrant children into the local community.

Led by the Bocas children’s programme director Melvina Hazard, the event brought together refugee and migrant children with local children for a day of cultural exchange and creativity.

The authors of Juanita, a bilingual children’s book set in Trinidad and Tobago, kicked off the event.

The children were later guided through a story-creation workshop during which they crafted imaginative stories. The children will be acknowledged as authors of their collaborative work when the story is published. The UN Refugee Agency also supported the event by donating snack bags, lunches, and juices, adding to the joyful atmosphere of the day.

The goal of the event was to show that there is nothing to fear when people are different, as there is always something to learn.

The children themselves expressed that despite their differences, they are all just children and should be made to feel welcome. The exchange highlighted the importance of inclusion, with many children sharing that they learned valuable lessons about empathy and understanding.