Governor’s Symposium launches podcast series, Creative Youth Contest ahead of 15-Year Milestone

GREAT BAY/HARBOUR VIEW--With just over a month to go before the 2025 Governor’s Symposium, the Organizing Committee has unveiled two exciting initiatives designed to broaden public engagement and amplify young voices in the lead-up to this historic event.

This year’s Symposium, themed “15 Years of Constitutional Autonomy: Achievements, Lessons, and Prospects”, will take place on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) in Cupecoy. The event marks a significant milestone in Sint Maarten’s modern constitutional history and will feature a powerful mix of voices—ranging from constitutional experts to youth contributors.

To involve the wider public in the reflection process, the Organizing Committee has launched a podcast series titled “Autonomous Conversations.” Each 3–7 minute episode will take listeners on a journey through Sint Maarten’s constitutional development, present-day realities, and future aspirations.

Podcast schedule:

• Episode 1 (Sept 19): From Island Territory to Country

• Episode 2 (Sept 26): A Country Within a Kingdom

• Episode 3 (Oct 3): Voices from the Nation (featuring community reflections and youth perspectives)

• Episode 4 (Oct 24): Post-Symposium Reflections

The public is invited to contribute by submitting a short voice note (under 30 seconds) or a brief written reflection responding to the following prompt:

“How has Sint Maarten being a country within the Kingdom for 15 years affected your daily life? What do you hope for Country Sint Maarten?”

Voice notes may be sent via WhatsApp to +1 (721) 587-0047, and written reflections can be emailed to secretary@kabgsxm.com

. Selected submissions may be featured in Episode 3, showcasing personal perspectives and collective hopes.

As part of its youth engagement, the Committee has also launched the Youth Creative Vision Contest, inviting students in the pre-exam and exam years of secondary school to share their vision for Sint Maarten’s future. Students may submit poems, short essays (max. 500 words), videos, or songs—individually or in groups. The initiative aims to encourage civic awareness, critical thinking, and national pride.

Schools are asked to collect entries from eligible students and submit them to the Cabinet of the Governor by September 26, 2025. A judging panel—comprising Organizing Committee members and representatives from Teen Times, the contest’s youth media partner—will select the winning entry based on creativity, originality, relevance to the theme, and overall quality.

All entries will be displayed at the Symposium, and the winning student(s) will:

• Receive official recognition during the event;

• Be invited to an informal meeting with the Governor;

• Be featured in Teen Times, the local youth newspaper, and across social media;

• Be considered for public display in Parliament and the Government Administration Building.

The 2025 Governor’s Symposium will take place on October 10, 2025, at AUC. For those unable to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed via the Governor’s official Facebook page and website starting at 8:30 AM.

Further updates, podcast teasers, and highlights from the youth contest will be shared in the weeks ahead.

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