UNDP Celebrates Kalinago Heritage and Resilience During Kalinago Week 2025

September 19, 2025

Two students in green uniforms sitting on a wooden bench outdoors, reading books. — Primary school students during the reading session at the Kalinago Heritage, Language and History Day organized by the Division of Kalinago Upliftment on September 17, 2025.

UNDP Barbados and Eastern Caribbean/Zaimis Olmos

Kalinago Territory, Dominica — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) proudly joined the Kalinago community and national partners in commemorating Kalinago Week 2025 from September 14–19.

The week-long observance, organized by the Ministry of Environment, Rural Modernization, Constituency Empowerment and Kalinago Upliftment, in collaboration with the Kalinago Council, celebrated the rich cultural legacy and resilience of the Caribbean’s only remaining Indigenous community.

UNDP’s participation in Kalinago Week aligns with its broader commitment to inclusive development and indigenous empowerment, particularly through the Strengthening Community Resilience in the Kalinago Territory (SCR-K) project. This initiative, supported by the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, promotes climate-smart agriculture, forest and watershed restoration, and indigenous eco-tourism.

Educational Outreach – Kalinago Heritage, Language and History Day

UNDP’s Deputy Resident Representative, Stephanie Ziebell, and Project Analyst, Sawana Fabien, joined government officials, Kalinago leaders and historians at the Barana Aute for a special event with primary school students on September 17. The day’s activities included a reading session using UNDP-developed educational materials (comic book and coloring book), promoting Kalinago cultural pride and historical awareness among youth.

Two people sit on wooden benches in a bright room, reading magazines.

Outdoor scene of a man in a white shirt and a child in yellow reading magazines.

Three students on a veranda study a notebook; two in blue uniforms, one in yellow.

Community Engagement

On Thursday, UNDP team members visited project sites and engaged directly with Kalinago community members who have benefited from UNDP-supported initiatives. These interactions provided valuable insights to assess project impact, guide future actions and ensure the project satisfies the community's evolving needs.

Additionally, Ms. Ziebell appeared on a live radio segment to discuss UNDP’s strategic partnerships in the Eastern Caribbean, highlighting UNDP’s role in advancing sustainable livelihoods and indigenous-led development.

Four people on a guided tour in a lush forest, some with notebooks.

Woman in pink shirt crouches beside stacked crates and a large cooler under a shelter.

Four people standing in an unfinished room with bare concrete walls and a wooden door.

Group of people standing on the front steps of a small gray house with wooden shutters.

Kalinago Uprising Memorial

On Kalinago Day, September 19, the UNDP team joined the Kalinago community in honoring the 1930 Kalinago Uprising, a pivotal moment in the fight for indigenous rights. The event marked the symbolic close of Kalinago Week, celebrating unity, heritage, and resilience.

UNDP’s longstanding partnership with the Kalinago people reflects its dedication to inclusive development and cultural preservation. Through initiatives like SCR-K, UNDP continues to support community-led solutions that build resilience, diversify livelihoods, and elevate indigenous voices on the national and global stage.