After several weeks of intense discussions and thrilling competitions, the Grand Finals of the International Reparation Debate Competition is set for Friday, April 25, 2025, at 10:00 AM (Jamaica Time) in the Winston Bailey Room at the UWI Regional Headquarters. A press release by organizers of the debate, the Repair Campaign, shared the details.
This exciting event will also be broadcast LIVE on UWITV, the Centre for Reparation Research’s YouTube Channel and on Instagram LIVE through @repaircampaign.
In an unprecedented showcase, 24 secondary schools from the Caribbean and the United Kingdom participated in this competition, passionately addressing the critical issues of reparatory justice linked to chattel slavery and colonialism within the Caribbean. Schools representing Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, The Bahamas, Curaçao, and the UK engaged in a series of rigorous heats, quarter-finals, and semi-finals, debating significant and contentious topics such as:
Should descendants of enslavers bear the responsibility of their ancestors for reparation?
Should reparations be paid through community-based decision-making rather than government action?
Should CARICOM prioritize economic integration over reparation?
To what extent should former colonising countries influence the terms and conditions of reparation?
These debates highlighted the urgency of youth activism and demonstrated the emergence of a new generation of critical thinkers who are determined to advocate for a fairer, more equitable society, shared the organizers. Noteworthy statements included:
Monetary compensation alone will never be enough to create sustainable long-term wealth, until the economic structures that enforce dependency exploitative lending and financial inequality are dismantled and reformed to ensure true economic sovereignty from former colonies. True justice is not found in payouts, but in systemic change that removes these exploitative economic structures.
—Julianne Solomon, St. Joseph’s Convent, POS, Trinidad and Tobago, Finalist of the International Reparation Debate Competition.
By cancelling Haiti’s foreign debt, we would not only free the country from the shackles of oppression but also acknowledge the historical injustices that have perpetuated poverty and inequality giving Haiti the chance to break free from the cycle of poverty and to forge a new path built on dignity, self-determination and economic sovereignty.
—Davion Bradford, Clarendon College, Jamaica, Finalist of the International Reparation Debate Competition.
Only two contenders have reached the finale:
– St Joseph’s Convent, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
– Clarendon College, Jamaica
On April 25, these finalists will face off to claim the championship title and compete for grand prizes totaling US$5,000 in an event anticipated to be both thrilling and historic.
You can revisit the exciting moments from the semi-finals and prior rounds here:
The Repair Campaign extended a personal invitation to the public to participate in the event:
“This finale marks a major milestone in engaging youth in deeper education and advocacy for reparations and justice. Join us in person or online on April 25, 2025 at 10am (Jamaica time) to witness the crowning of the first International Reparation Debate Champion, and the continued rise of young voices leading the calls for justice.”