Patriotism Revitalized at the Belize City Children’s Rally 2022
For the past two years, it has been held virtually, but today thousands of primary school students converged at the Belize City Civic Center for the annual children’s rally. The event is used to celebrate the patriotic season and to instil in the students Belizean pride. Elsewhere across the districts, students marched around their school compound and received treats to celebrate the Battle of Saint George’s Caye Day and Independence Day. News Five’s Duane Moody reports on the rally.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Over three thousand, seven hundred primary school students from upper division classes across Belize City converged at the Civic Center to participate in the 2022 Children’s Rally.
Darlene Lozano-Moody
Darlene Lozano-Moody, Interim Officer-in-Charge, Belize District Education Center
“This is a patriotic activity. [It’s] an activity in which we bring the students across our city to participate in a patriotic activity – one that promotes who we are as Belizeans. The nearby schools walked here, schools from a distance came via the bus. They came here for the rally, but the individual schools are also having their own patriotic activities. So for Belize District, all our schools are having activities that promote who we are as Belizeans on their compound. After the rally, the students at the schools receive a treat like back in the day and then it is usually half day.”
It took the team at the Belize District Education Center about two weeks to put the rally together, collaborating with the Institute of Creative Arts and the Belize City Council. Mayor Bernard Wagner was the guest speaker for the rally.
Bernard Wagner
Bernard Wagner, Belize City Mayor
“It’s an awesome and fantastic opportunity. Whenever we, as leaders, could be in the company of our children – the future leaders of our country – it always gives me cold seed to be able to interact with our children, especially after they gone through that horrific two years of not being in school and having to learn how to interact virtually and it is always good for face-to-face. I am a person about having face-to-face interaction and today is just a mere example of what our children have been missing out of for the past two years.”
Also participating in the rally were students from Stella Maris School. Teacher Sheree Salgado says that it is an exciting moment for her students.
Sheree Salgado
Sheree Salgado, Teacher, Stella Maris School
“Every year, we participate in the children’s rally. We have been locked up for three years and the excitement on our students’ faces – not only our students from Stella Maris, but the excitement on these students face – it was amazing. We have been locked up for three years so we are outside.”
Duane Moody
“Part of it is also about them learning more about their country and being patriotic. Is this part of something that you guys teach to them?”
Sheree Salgado
“Well of course. It is natural. Every September we usually teach about the Battle of Saint George’s Caye, we tell them about our Independence Day, we go over who is the prime minister, etc.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
