Expanding Youth Leadership Across the Caribbean and Diaspora, the Competition returns in 2026 with global reach and digital innovation.
The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Friday, November 28, 2025—The Centre for Reparation Research (CRR) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), in partnership with regional stakeholders, proudly announces the second staging of the International Reparation Debate Competition, scheduled to begin in January 2026 with virtual preliminary rounds and culminating in a grand finale in Kingston, Jamaica in March 2026.
This pioneering platform engages young people across the Caribbean and the diaspora in timely, urgent, and intellectually rigorous conversations on reparatory justice.
The initiative builds on the success of the inaugural International Reparation Debate Competition in early 2025, which brought together student teams from across the region to debate some of the most pressing issues on reparation. Over several weeks, participants battled in virtual preliminary rounds, advancing to the semi-finals, with the grand finale staged in Kingston, Jamaica.
The Competition featured schools from five Caribbean nations and one from the United Kingdom, with some countries represented by as many as five schools. Teams comprised five students were supported by two teachers each, creating a unique balance of youthful energy and academic mentorship. The debate moots were focused on the CARICOM 10-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice, with topics ranging from the moral and economic case for reparations to the role of former colonial powers in addressing systemic inequalities that persist today.
The 2025 Competition culminated in a thrilling final round, in which St. Joseph’s Convent Port of Spain from Trinidad and Tobago emerged as the first champions. Their victory was marked not only by eloquence and clarity of thought but also by a deep engagement with the historical, cultural, and political dimensions of reparation. Judges, educators, and invited dignitaries hailed the event as a transformative experience, noting the participants’ ability to link scholarship to activism and to envision a more just future.
The inaugural staging also featured a series of workshops and panel discussions designed to prepare students for the debates while exposing them to the broader history and practice of the reparation movement. Social media played a key role, amplifying the competition’s reach and inviting public audiences into the conversation. Building on that success, the 2025 Competition will expand its scope while maintaining its central commitment to fostering youth leadership in the global reparation’s movement.
Professor Sonjah Stanley Niaah, Director of the CRR, emphasised the significance of continuing this initiative: “By combining academic rigour with digital outreach, the CRR and its partners are ensuring that the reparation conversation remains vibrant, relevant, and accessible.” She added, “The competition’s second staging will feature influencer-led campaigns, livestreamed debates, and expanded partnerships to ensure that audiences across the Caribbean, the Americas, Africa, and Europe can follow and engage with the event.”
All Caribbean and UK schools are encouraged to participate by registering online at www.uwi.edu/crr.
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