Antigua and Barbuda witnessed a vibrant celebration of cultural heritage on February 28, 2026, as the J.E. St. Luce Building in St. John’s hosted the first-ever Interschool Warri Championship. This landmark event, organized by the Department of Culture in partnership with the Ministry of Education, successfully engaged primary and secondary students from across the nation in the traditional African board game of Warri.
The championship served as both a competitive platform and a cultural revival initiative, designed to reconnect younger generations with ancestral traditions through strategic gameplay. Participants demonstrated remarkable strategic thinking and profound cultural appreciation throughout the tournament, highlighting the game’s significance beyond mere entertainment.
Dimitri Riley from Sir Novelle Richards Academy emerged as the inaugural champion, securing first place with impressive strategic prowess. Genesis Daniel of Pares Primary School claimed second position, while Owen Williams from Antigua Grammar School rounded out the top three finishers in third place.
Officials from both organizing institutions emphasized the event’s dual purpose: promoting cultural preservation and fostering youth development through traditional games. The Warri championship represented a meaningful step in decolonizing education and reinforcing cultural identity among Antigua and Barbuda’s youth population. The overwhelming positive response from participants and educators suggests strong potential for the event to become an annual tradition in the nation’s cultural calendar.