Guests donned sophisticated white attire for White Opulence – Let’s Glow Together for Peace, a charity dinner hosted by the Tyrese Caesar Foundation on Saturday night at the Sea Rocks Dome. The event, designed to commemorate the International Day of Peace, was transformed into a vision of elegance.
Chairman Jacqueline Caesar led the evening which was hosted by Rhonda Bryan-Hutson. The festivities began with a cocktail hour featuring signature drinks crafted by Angel Phillips, while live entertainment from an ensemble led by Darren Watson set a celebratory tone. Attendees had the opportunity to win various door prizes, including gas vouchers and portable stoves, thanks to an extensive network of sponsors.
The foundation operates under the mantra, ‘Less Violence, More Peace, More Hope’, aiming to raise awareness about the devastating impact of gun violence. This cause is particularly poignant for Caesar, who tragically lost her son, Tyrese, to violence in June 2022.
This year’s theme, Cultivating a Culture of Peace, was integral to the evening’s programme. Featured speaker Josette Sam highlighted a statement from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO): “War begins in the mind of man, so it is in the mind of man that the defence of peace must be constructed.”
She asserted that achieving peace is a collective responsibility, urging society to embed this cultural process within its fabric.
Reflecting on her migration to the island, Sam noted the community’s evolution and its accompanying challenges.
“Almost every day, a mother is holding her belly, a father crippled by grief and anxiety, a sibling bond broken, and a child left fatherless,” she lamented, emphasising the need for a society that fosters mutual care and respect. Sam called for stronger family units and better parenting, cautioning against leaving children’s upbringing to social media or society at large.
Caesar echoed these sentiments: “The International Day of Peace should be given more prominence across Barbados given the nation’s current state of high incidences of violence.”
She expressed satisfaction with the community’s increasing awareness and response to the foundation’s call for action.
“Persons are now more aware and are responding to a call to action to address the upsurge in violence we have been seeing recently. At this stage, they are moved to support the foundation’s initiative as a means of peace intervention and a move toward positive change. They are willing to come out and support the charity dinner in recognition of International Day of Peace despite September being a financially challenging month for some with back-to-school costs.”
Looking to the future, Caesar assured attendees that the foundation would continue to focus on youth initiatives, announcing the return of the Schools Anti-Violence competition. She also detailed plans for new programmes to support survivors of gun violence, such as Here 4 U and HOPE.
Distinguished guests at the event included Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw, Minister of State in the Office of the Attorney General with focus on crime prevention, Corey Lane, and former acting CEO of the Barbados Water Authority, Keithroy Halliday. (STT)
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