USM Hosts Regional Seminar on Climate & Community Action
May 26, 2025
The University of St. Martin hosted a two-day regional seminar on climate policy, coastal protection, and vulnerable communities. Experts, artists, and policymakers from across the Caribbean united to share knowledge, inspire action, and design community-driven solutions.
The University of St. Martin proudly concluded a dynamic two-day seminar and workshop titled “Climate Policy, Coastal Protection and Vulnerable Communities”, held on April 10–11, 2025. Organized within the framework of the Island(-er)s at the Helm research programme, the event brought together experts, community leaders, artists, scholars, and policymakers from across the Caribbean and Europe to co-develop sustainable, inclusive responses to climate challenges.
The seminar welcomed 24 in-person participants and over 70 remote attendees from Aruba, Barbuda, Cuba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Saba, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy, Spain, and more. It marked a significant milestone in fostering cross-border dialogue and regional solidarity in the fight against climate change.
Keynote speakers, Dr. Ofelia Pérez (Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba) and Ms. Pedzi Flores-Girigori (Head of the Meteorology Office of Curaçao), set the tone for six thematic discussions:
- Climate and Vulnerability
- Policy and Representation
- Voices of the Vulnerable
- Dutch Caribbean Climate Agendas
- Climate and the Arts and Human Expression
- Water, Food and Shelter
The opening ceremony featured the Honourable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, and the Honourable Minister of VROMI, Mr. Patrice Gumbs. Both officials emphasized the urgent need for regional collaboration and locally grounded action beyond rhetoric. Minister Gumbs stressed breaking silos for integrated climate solutions, while Prime Minister Mercelina highlighted Caribbean unity and inclusivity.
USM President Dr. Antonio Carmona Báez reminded attendees that climate change respects no borders and that joint regional responses are essential for meaningful progress.
Event Highlights Included:
A compelling first panel with Dr. Line Algoed and Drs. Raymond Jessurun, exploring the roots of vulnerability in colonial histories and current social conditions.
Voices of the Vulnerable, featuring John Mussington (Barbuda Island Council) and Ashma Berkel (Leaders for Change, St. Maarten), presenting grassroots resilience strategies.
A powerful Policy and Representation panel with insights from Mari Villariny Marrero (Puerto Rico), Raitza Narain and Ildiko Gilders (VROMI), and Bernadette Davis (Collectivité de Saint-Martin), advocating for inclusive policymaking.
Artistic and intellectual exchange during Climate and the Arts and Human Expression, led by Clara Reyes, Claudio Arnell, and Dr. Charissa Granger, centering Caribbean cultural perspectives.
In-depth discussion on Dutch Caribbean Climate Agendas with Dr. Timo Kelder (CAS), and representatives from EPIC Sint Maarten, emphasizing local engagement in conservation.
A focused session on Water, Food and Shelter, with contributions from Dr. George Felix (UPR), Aga Kuś (TU Delft), and Dr. Alejandro Torres-Abreu on water justice in Puerto Rico.
The seminar culminated in a hands-on workshop on stakeholder inclusion, led by Dr. Pérez Monetero. Participants—civil servants, NGOs, students, and community leaders—co-designed a participatory tool to better integrate community voices into climate policymaking.
This event was made possible through partnerships with the Ministry of VROMI, the Collectivité de Saint-Martin, and civil society networks across the region. Vice-President Bernadette Davis’s active engagement underscored the commitment to unified island-wide action.
Through this landmark event, USM reaffirmed its role as a regional hub for climate research, dialogue, and action. The outcomes of the seminar lay the groundwork for ongoing collaboration rooted in Caribbean lived realities, cultural resilience, and shared hope for a more sustainable future.
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The seminar welcomed 24 in-person participants and over 70 remote attendees from Aruba, Barbuda, Cuba, Curaçao, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Saba, Sint Maarten, Trinidad and Tobago, Italy, Spain, and more. It marked a significant milestone in fostering cross-border dialogue and regional solidarity in the fight against climate change.
Keynote speakers, Dr. Ofelia Pérez (Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba) and Ms. Pedzi Flores-Girigori (Head of the Meteorology Office of Curaçao), set the tone for six thematic discussions:
- Climate and Vulnerability
- Policy and Representation
- Voices of the Vulnerable
- Dutch Caribbean Climate Agendas
- Climate and the Arts and Human Expression
- Water, Food and Shelter
The opening ceremony featured the Honourable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, and the Honourable Minister of VROMI, Mr. Patrice Gumbs. Both officials emphasized the urgent need for regional collaboration and locally grounded action beyond rhetoric. Minister Gumbs stressed breaking silos for integrated climate solutions, while Prime Minister Mercelina highlighted Caribbean unity and inclusivity.
USM President Dr. Antonio Carmona Báez reminded attendees that climate change respects no borders and that joint regional responses are essential for meaningful progress.
Event Highlights Included:
A compelling first panel with Dr. Line Algoed and Drs. Raymond Jessurun, exploring the roots of vulnerability in colonial histories and current social conditions.
Voices of the Vulnerable, featuring John Mussington (Barbuda Island Council) and Ashma Berkel (Leaders for Change, St. Maarten), presenting grassroots resilience strategies.
A powerful Policy and Representation panel with insights from Mari Villariny Marrero (Puerto Rico), Raitza Narain and Ildiko Gilders (VROMI), and Bernadette Davis (Collectivité de Saint-Martin), advocating for inclusive policymaking.
Artistic and intellectual exchange during Climate and the Arts and Human Expression, led by Clara Reyes, Claudio Arnell, and Dr. Charissa Granger, centering Caribbean cultural perspectives.
In-depth discussion on Dutch Caribbean Climate Agendas with Dr. Timo Kelder (CAS), and representatives from EPIC Sint Maarten, emphasizing local engagement in conservation.
A focused session on Water, Food and Shelter, with contributions from Dr. George Felix (UPR), Aga Kuś (TU Delft), and Dr. Alejandro Torres-Abreu on water justice in Puerto Rico.
The seminar culminated in a hands-on workshop on stakeholder inclusion, led by Dr. Pérez Monetero. Participants—civil servants, NGOs, students, and community leaders—co-designed a participatory tool to better integrate community voices into climate policymaking.
This event was made possible through partnerships with the Ministry of VROMI, the Collectivité de Saint-Martin, and civil society networks across the region. Vice-President Bernadette Davis’s active engagement underscored the commitment to unified island-wide action.
Through this landmark event, USM reaffirmed its role as a regional hub for climate research, dialogue, and action. The outcomes of the seminar lay the groundwork for ongoing collaboration rooted in Caribbean lived realities, cultural resilience, and shared hope for a more sustainable future.
Latest News →
