The Ministry of Health and Social Development will be launching a parade and health fair for adults and children as part of activities to observe World Food Day on October 16.

The events are being organised for residents to address issues related to their overall health and well-being in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic as emphasis is being placed on food appreciation, food security, healthy diets (nutrition) and agriculture.

The parade will commence World Food Day celebrations and participants will have the option to wear any of the following:

1.         Full costume/outfit portraying healthy food

2.         Partial costume, e.g. a headpiece/headdress.

3.         Uniquely designed T-shirt representative of any of the themes.                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Prizes will be awarded for best costume, best handcrafted costume, largest costumed or t-shirt group and much more. Interested persons can register either individually, as a corporation/organisation or as a group via web link https://redcap.link/WFDPARADE.  Registration closes at midnight on October 10.

The free National Health Fair will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the Festival Grounds and the community is invited to participate and learn about the creation of a healthier lifestyle. The fair is expected to feature educational opportunities, health screenings, food exhibitions and sampling, culinary demonstrations and games for all ages.  

The community is also encouraged to participate in the bake off which will feature a cake or tart competition for adults and cookie competition for children.   Participants are asked to make a healthy version of their favorite cake, tart or cookie depending on the category. 

Participants will bring their creation to the Festival Grounds on October 16 and it will be judged by a selected panel during the National Health Fair. Adults can sign up via web link https://redcap.link/BVIBAKEOFF  and youth under the age of 18 can sign up via web link https://redcap.link/VICOOKIEDEBATE. Registration closes for adults at midnight on October 1 and midnight for children on October 8.

The Ministry of Health’s Public Health Unit is said to be excited for this initiative and is fully committed to achieving a fun, yet safe event that all of the community can enjoy.

World Food Day will be observed under the theme, "Our actions are our future- Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development is committed to improving the health and well-being of the people of the Virgin Islands.