BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Barbados will host the prestigious Grow, Unite, Build Africa (GUBA) Awards, when for the first time in its history it will be hosted in the Caribbean in November.
The CUBA Awards have in the past honored cultural icons and change-makers including Grammy award winner, Angélique Kidjo, the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO),Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as well as African storyteller and digital influencer, Wode Maya and the current Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The 16th edition of the non-profit pan-African business and innovation awards that reward and celebrate excellence will be held under the theme “Reclaiming Our Atlantic Destiny: Build. Connect. Renew,” with the organizers saying that this event seeks to deepen cultural and economic ties between Africa and the Caribbean, fostering meaningful partnerships in trade, investment, and heritage.
“This is more than an awards show, it is a reconnection with the African continent. Barbados offers a symbolic gateway as we renew our shared destiny across the Atlantic,” said President and Founder of GUBA Enterprise, Lady Dentaa Amoateng.
The November 10 -12, event is being hosted in partnership with the Barbados government with support from the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI), Invest Barbados, the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), and the Barbados High Commission in Ghana.
“We are so proud to partner with GUBA to make tangible the ongoing discourse about bridging the gap between Africa and the Caribbean. We are also pleased to see the level of support from leading agencies in tourism, culture and investment, which signals the growing strategic importance of Africa and its diaspora in national development,” said Barbados High Commissioner to Ghana, Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland.
Since its inception, the GUBA Awards have been held in the United Kingdom, the United States, Ghana, and Rwanda.
“Hosting the GUBA Awards is another exciting first for Barbados. This partnership underscores our island’s connection to the African continent and reflects the growing interest from emerging markets,” said the BTMI’s chief product development officer, Marsha Alleyne.
“We believe this event will strengthen our cultural ties and increase our visibility to a wider international audience.”
NCF chief executive officer, Carol Roberts, noted the timing of the awards, which is coming on the heels of several major events on the island, and providing opportunities for visitors to experience multiple exciting activities.
“This is the perfect time and the perfect year for Barbados and the African diaspora to collaborate. The GUBA awards will come after we have welcomed the world to the Crop Over Festival, to CARIFESTA and on the cusp of GUBA, the Barbados Food and Rum Festival. Believe us when we tell you, there is always something happening in Barbados.”
Among the highlights of the two-day event will be a trade and investment forum bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and investors across Africa and the Caribbean to forge practical trade and development alliances.
There will also be a cultural celebration of Afro-Caribbean creativity, fashion, music, and heritage in addition to the GUBA Awards ceremony:.
