G-G Pins 37 ‘I Believe’ Ambassadors

Governor-General, His Excellency the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, on Thursday (November 23) pinned the 37 new ‘I Believe Initiative’ (IBI) Ambassadors who will serve for 2018.

At the ceremony held at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston, the Governor-General commended the youth representatives and reminded them of their mission to promote programmes that restore hope, belief, and sound values in Jamaica’s families, youth and education.

“You are the ones who will make the difference and bridge the gap. You, our Ambassadors, you’re going to learn the language of another generation and build bridges to connect and help each other to appreciate and understand the language and the circumstances of others,” he said.

He charged the new Ambassadors to focus on strengthening the family pillar of the programme.

“As we seek to strengthen all the pillars of the I Believe Initiative, we’re seized with the urgent need to restore wholesome family values. Therefore, our parenting programme has to be revamped and rebranded and placed back on stream. We will do that with a new name, ‘Parenting Now’, he said.

“We realise there are many struggles being faced by families, and we see this as our response to that urgent call for help, to build healthy families, because the state of the family is the state of the nation. I’m making a special call to all our Ambassadors to assist in resuscitating and strengthening the family pillar,” he added.

The Governor-General said he was pleased with the activities undertaken by the previous Ambassadors, and is looking forward to the “great initiatives” that will be implemented by the newly installed youth representatives.

“I implore you to see this recognition not as an award but as a noble call to even greater service. There’s so much to be done in our country for our children, our youth to combat abuse, trafficking and crime and violence,” he said.

Resident of Grants Pen in St. Andrew and a recording artist, Adiel Thomas, who was one of the persons pinned by the Governor-General, said he is grateful to have been appointed an I Believe Ambassador. He said he intends to reach other youth through music programmes and other initiatives.

“It’s an amazing opportunity. It’s special for me, because they don’t have any other music ambassadors, so I want to continue to use my music in trying to inspire people and help to change people’s lives,” he told JIS News, noting that music is a powerful tool.

Executive Director, Jamaican Youth Empowerment through Culture Arts and Nationalism (JAYECAN), Alex Sterling, who was also installed, said, “I feel honoured to be working with the Governor-General’s programme. I’ve been working with them for a few years now through my organisation, JAYECAN, and I am really honoured now to be a part of the (I Believe Initiative), and I look forward to working with the other ambassadors for this year.”

IBI is an arm of the Governor-General’s Programme for Excellence. The values-based programme, launched in 2011, serves to motivate and inspire youth to believe in themselves, achieve their God-given potential and to give service to their country.

Since the launch, nearly 250 Ambassadors from various backgrounds have been inducted to serve their fellowmen and to participate in the development of Jamaica.