Men’s Week in Anguilla, under the title “Men in The Arts”, was a successful undertaking, according to Gender Affairs Coordinator, Dr. Ronya Foy-Connor. She was at the time speaking to The Anguillian during a cocktail reception and buffet dinner at Zemi Beach on Thursday, June 23.
“I think it was very successful because the topic, “Men in the Arts”, is something I think has been spoken about a lot in Anguilla. We believe it helps to encourage and motivate them to be better individuals for their families and society,” she stated. “I feel that the Men in the Arts celebrations, that have taken place, have really been encouraging for a lot of young men and also for those men who are trying to find different outlets to express themselves and to feel confident about themselves. I think that has been excellent. The men who have been honoured were more than welcoming and sharing in their interviews at Radio Anguilla. It has been an overall success. I hope that we could possibly do something related to a Young Men’s Week so we are encouraging our young boys to reach this level of success.”
Dr. Foy-Connor was asked how easy it was for her, being a woman, to work on Men’s Week. “Believe it, or not, I would say it was fairly easy to work with men here in Anguilla,” she replied. “I think the only trouble in honouring men is that sometimes they tend to be a little shy about being recognised for their work. I think that is fine because a lot of times they are hard-working people and they just do it either because they love it or they feel that it is their passion. I think it is very important for us to recognise the time and energy they put into their craft and their creative abilities. That is because while it is work, it is also an encouragement to others.”
Earlier, Dr Foy-Connor addressed the gathering at the event. She was pleased to see that a number of the men, who were honoured, were present and accompanied by members of their family.
Mr. Ivan Melford Connor, a youth worker and motivational speaker, spoke to the men about the importance of leadership and mentoring. He showed how young men in particular can be mentored to become responsible and productive persons in the community.
The dinner was blessed by the Rt. Rev. Errol Brooks who was accompanied by his wife, Mrs. Rosena Brooks.
It was a delightful evening at Zemi Beach – the newest resort to open its doors in Anguilla. Nestled in a cluster of undulating and attractively-designed gardens, with narrow, winding roadways, the resort is located in the western area of Shoal Bay (North) where history and culture are two of the defining features. The classy restaurants are heavily patronised by a number of local groups and individuals along with the property’s in house guests.
