I am not clear we have articulated clear goals of Emancipation Festival- Mr Troy E. Christopher
He questioned whether it is merely a celebration of freedom or if the significance of African civilisation and its contributions to the Virgin Islands (VI) heritage and ancestors is truly understood.
Mr. Christopher expressed his concerns during the Umoja program with Mr. Cromwell Smith, also known as ‘Edju En Ka,’ on ZBVI 780 AM on Thursday, August 21, 2025.
He pointed out that for some people, these celebrations are just an opportunity to party, seek stress relief, and enjoy a vacation. He acknowledged that the government views it as a tourism initiative, which is a valid perspective.
Maintaining emancipation
However, he posed the important question of whether this time is being used for education.
He stated, “Are we using it to maintain emancipation? The country is facing many challenges, and the world is going through a lot. There is a tendency to want to take a break and focus on partying and stress relief. However, I believe we could make significant contributions towards understanding and maintaining emancipation- to think critically about what it means to be free.”
Mr. Christopher emphasised that using this time for educational purposes should also be a primary goal.
He remarked, “I am not entirely clear if we have articulated all the goals we want to achieve through the emancipation celebrations. Are we simply remembering the past, or are we also pausing to evaluate what we have achieved and what our future goals are? This reflection should be part of the emancipation celebration.”
Opportune time for community building
He concluded by stating that there is a tremendous opportunity for us to use this season to strengthen our community and build upon our achievements. It would be unfortunate to simply celebrate without progressing and to allow ourselves to regress in the pursuit of true emancipation.
This year, the 71st Virgin Islands Emancipation Festival was recognised, and a month-long celebration ran from July 13 to August 9, 2025.
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