Barbados is gearing up for a historic three-month celebration of two major national milestones: 60 years of sovereign independence and five years as a republican state, with Prime Minister Mia Mottley at the helm of the launch.\n\nIn an official video address delivered Tuesday that marked the official kickoff of the anniversary activities, Mottley announced a new inclusive tradition for the 90-day countdown: every Friday will officially be designated as Barbados Day through the final main celebration date of November 30.\n\nThe prime minister urged all Barbadians across the island and abroad to embrace this weekly celebration by showcasing their national pride. She called on residents to wear the country’s iconic national colors — deep blue, gleaming gold, and solid black — fly the national flag at homes, businesses, and public spaces, and share their celebrations across social media platforms to connect with loved ones and build collective excitement ahead of the November 30 anniversary.\n\nDubbed the “60 and 5” milestone, this moment carries deep national significance for the Caribbean nation. Mottley emphasized that the extended celebration period is designed to give all Barbadians time to reflect on the country’s decades-long journey since independence, honor the struggles and obstacles the nation has overcome to reach this point, and look forward with confidence to future growth and opportunity.\n\nA range of community-focused events are planned across the 90-day period, alongside the return of beloved traditional Independence activities. Ahead of the main November 30 event, Mottley announced that the official “60 and 5” anniversary logo will be unveiled in the coming weeks, with clear guidance provided for local businesses, nonprofits, and community groups that wish to apply to use the logo for their own events.\n\nKey new events include a national clean-up and beautification initiative called “Leh We Paint Barbados”, a national oratory competition named “My Voice My Barbados” that is open to primary, secondary, and tertiary students across the country. There will also be a public lecture series exploring the nation’s history, a national concert, a formal President’s Gala evening, the grand opening of the new Richard Stoute Amphitheatre, and the long-awaited inauguration of the Newton Slave Memorial, a project that honors the island’s historical connection to the transatlantic slave trade.\n\nLongstanding traditional Independence activities will also make a comeback this year after recent disruptions. These fan-favorite events include the National Independence Festival of Creative Arts (NIFCA), the annual Bridgetown city lighting ceremony, the Spirit of the Nation showcase, the popular Food and Rum Festival, the formal National Parade, and the interfaith Ecumenical Service.\n\nThe entire 90-day celebration will culminate on a high note with the Prime Minister’s Cup, a popular annual football competition that has grown into a beloved Barbadian tradition in recent years.\n\nMottley added that the national organizing committee behind the celebrations will publish a full event calendar in the near future, and will provide support to local communities and groups that want to organize their own local events to add to the national celebration. Closing her address, the prime minister urged all Barbadians to use the coming three months to reflect on the nation’s progress, give thanks for the gains achieved, and celebrate all that makes Barbados unique.