After nearly three weeks of diplomatic, cultural and community engagement across three Caribbean destinations, the Waltham Forest, Antigua & Barbuda and Dominica Twinning Association (WFTA) has successfully concluded its landmark Connect2Reconnect (C2R) Pilot 2025 delegation visit, an initiative designed to deepen long-standing people-to-people and institutional bonds between the London Borough of Waltham Forest and its Caribbean twin partners.
Helmed by WFTA Chair Mervin Caesar-John, the cross-functional delegation departed the UK for the Caribbean on April 20 and wrapped up its on-the-ground activities before returning on May 8. Throughout the trip, members prioritized open dialogue and collaborative planning, scheduling a packed itinerary of formal and informal engagements with senior government representatives, local community leaders, and grassroots cultural organizations across all three islands.
On Barbuda, the delegation held productive working sessions with Member of Parliament Trevor Walker and John Mussington, Chair of the Barbuda Council, before touring The Lit! Project, a local community literacy and youth empowerment initiative that has drawn regional acclaim for its work expanding access to educational resources for remote island communities. The trip then moved to Antigua, where delegation members held an audience with Governor General Sir Rodney Williams. Their discussion centered on pressing shared priorities, including advancing community public health initiatives and expanding global awareness of dementia care and support.
From Antigua, the group traveled to Dominica, the final stop on their itinerary. There, WFTA delegates joined multi-stakeholder planning meetings to align on future collaborative projects, took part in the island’s iconic annual Jazz ‘n Creole Festival to celebrate local cultural heritage, and participated in a series of media engagements and cultural exchange activities to share the goals of the C2R initiative with local audiences.
A core ceremonial component of the visit saw the delegation present official framed twinning declarations to governing bodies in each of the three destinations. These documents serve as a public reaffirmation of the official partnership first established between Waltham Forest and the three Caribbean nations back in April 1999. In a post-visit statement, WFTA framed the C2R Pilot 2025 delegation as a critical milestone in the association’s 27-year history of cross-regional partnership, highlighting the visit’s success in reactivating connections after years of limited in-person exchange and laying the groundwork for future collaborative projects.