(L-R) Winner of the Rotary Club of Central Tortola’s Peace & Conflict Resolution Poetry Contest Primary School category Mya K. Mohamed and Winner of the Rotary Club of Central Tortola’s Peace & Conflict Resolution Poetry Contest Secondary School category Branella T. Joseph. Photo: Team of Reporters

Winners of the Rotary Club of Central Tortola’s Peace & Conflict Resolution Poetry Contest which concluded on February 28, 2025, have been revealed. Photo: Rotary Club of Central Tortola

The Peace & Conflict Resolution Poetry Contest was held in February 2025 which was observed as Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month. Photo: Rotary Club of Central Tortola

The contest was designed to engage students at the primary and secondary school level across the Virgin Islands (VI) using poetry as a powerful medium to promote peace, unity, and understanding, the club said in a press release on Friday, March 14, 2025. 

The contest was held as part of Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Month in February 2025. 

Winners 

According to the club, the competition received an “overwhelming response” from the student body in the VI who were “eager to share their perspectives through poetry”. 

The entries were reviewed by Literary Arts experts who assessed the submissions based on creativity, originality, and thematic relevance.

The winners of the Peace & Conflict Resolution Poetry Contest at the Primary School level are: 

• Mya K. Mohamed – “Peace and Conflict”
• Dominique Ashley – “My Dream”
• Kiara Erawan Kariasih – “The Battle of Peace and Conflict”

In the Secondary School category, the winners of the Peace & Conflict Resolution Poetry Contest are:

• Branella T. Joseph – “Our Bridge of Understanding”
• Akeelah Bryan – “The Price of Peace”
• Ariel Browne – “The Bridge of Peace”

The club added that all winners will be contacted on the upliftment of their prize. 

“The Rotary Club of Central Tortola extends heartfelt congratulations to all winners and participants for their outstanding contributions,” the club said. 

Young minds were able to reflect on key themes- Rotary Club of Central Tortola

The Peace & Conflict Resolution Poetry Contest allowed the students to reflect on key themes such as conflict resolution, nonviolence, and their own personal contributions to fostering a peaceful world. 

“Through creative expression, students explored innovative ways to inspire positive change and harmony within their communities,” the club explained. 

The contest aligned with Rotary International’s core mission of promoting peace and conflict resolution by providing a platform for students to express their thoughts on peace.