by Charles Gladden
LOS ANGELES, California, Thurs. June 20, 2024
Belizeans in the diaspora will have a chance to take part in the Belize Diaspora Summit 2024 which began on Wednesday, June 19 and climaxes on Friday, June 21. It is being held at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott, Los Angeles, California, USA.
The Belize Diaspora Summit, with the theme, “Power in Unity”, is the first of its kind to be held for Belizeans living in the US and other parts of the world. The purpose of the summit is to stir up the intellectual, economic, and inspirational resources of people of Belizean heritage living worldwide, to optimize their influence and impact on both the diaspora community and the Belizean homeland.
Before the Summit began, from June 17 to 19 in Santa Monica, California, Belizeans living in the diaspora got the opportunity to apply for a passport in the Belize Diaspora Passport Hub hosted by the Ministry of Immigration.
After the opening ceremony, several Belizean organizations and ministries, such as the Belize Investment Forum (Chamber of Commerce), Business Showcase, and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Immigration, began showcasing and offering their services to Belizeans in the diaspora.
“Today makes a significant milestone in our ongoing journey to strengthen the ties between Belize and our Belizean diaspora community. Our diaspora is a powerful force, with knowledge and resources; through gatherings like these we harness our collective strength and make a meaningful impact. This Summit is a celebration of our shared heritage, a testament to our unity and a platform of collaboration,” said Sandhya Murphy, Ambassador for Diaspora Relations.
“There’s one thing we all have in common: we all love Belize. It doesn’t matter where you live; if you live within the boundaries of Belize or outside the boundaries, we all love Belize; we want the best for Belize [and] we all want to move Belize forward. That’s what brings the power of this event; and these types of events, allow us to come together and do that,” said Nicole Solano, CEO of the Ministry of Tourism.
Panel discussions featuring Belizeans from home and from the diaspora included Ray Gongora; Mose Hyde; Greg Meyers; Nuri Muhammad; Hon. Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs; Mario Lara; Destiny Wagner, Miss Earth 2021; and many more.
KREM Radio and X-TV are broadcasting portions of the Summit live from the Marriott in L.A. with hosts Mose Hyde, Katie Numi Usher and Nuri Muhammad.
The Summit wraps up with a Gala on Saturday at the same location.