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After months of rigorous intellectual exchange, bold argumentation, and regional competition, the Centre for Reparation Research at The University of the West Indies announces Our Lady of Fatima College (Trinidad and Tobago) as the champion of the International Reparation Debate Competition (IRDC) 2026.

The Grand Final, held on April 22 at the UWI Regional Headquarters and hosted by renowned journalist Dionne Jackson Miller, delivered a fitting climax to a competition that has grown into one of the region’s most dynamic intellectual platforms for youth.

Emerging from a field of 36 secondary schools across the Caribbean and the United Kingdom, Our Lady of Fatima College delivered a commanding performance against Clarendon College (Jamaica). The JADE-judged debate reflected exceptional analytical depth, strategic precision, and a commanding grasp of the evolving discourse on reparatory justice.

Fatima’s dominance extended beyond the final result. The team secured multiple honours, including:

• 1st Place – IRDC 2026 Champions
• Best Team Collaboration Award

Team captain Kennedy Valley delivered a standout performance across the competition, earning:

• Overall Best Debater
• Grand Final Best Debater
• Most Outstanding Male Debater
• Director’s Award

This decisive victory underscores Trinidad and Tobago’s continued strength in regional debating and youth advocacy.

Clarendon College (Jamaica) delivered a formidable performance, finishing in 2nd place after a highly competitive final. Team Captain Aliya McKenzie was recognised as Most Outstanding Female Debater, capping an exceptional run through the competition. Montego Bay High School for Girls (Jamaica) secured 3rd place, with Khadijah Jennings earning the Best Reply Speaker Award.

Rawlins Academy (UK), one of the competition’s most improved teams, was awarded both the Most Improved School Award and The Repair Campaign Outstanding Sportsmanship Award, reflecting not only growth but also exemplary conduct throughout the tournament.

Additional awards included:

• Convent of Mercy Academy “Alpha” – Award for Excellence in Argumentation and Content.
• C.V. Bethel Senior High School (Bahamas) – University of Hull Digital Advocacy Award
• Shanika Crossdale (Edwin Allen High School) – Spirit Award
• Solange Campbell (York Castle High School) – Most Passionate Debater Award

Winners were recognised with a combination of cash prizes, trophies, sponsored awards, and regional recognition, reinforcing the competition’s commitment to rewarding both excellence and impact.

The event drew a distinguished audience, including Her Excellency Deborah Thomas-Felix, High Commissioner of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to Jamaica; Mrs Alicia Herbert OBE, British High Commissioner (Designate) to Jamaica; Mr Stephen Golding, President of the UNIA-ACL Jamaica; and Dr Marcus Goffe, Lecturer and Attorney-at-Law.

In her opening remarks, Professor Stanley Niaah, the director of the Centre for Reparation Research, noted: “This competition is one of the most significant pillars of the reparation movement, as it focuses on the next generation of advocates, thought leaders, and reparationists. It helps to prepare young people not merely to inherit a conversation but to lead it and demand justice for themselves and their ancestors.”

Sheba Thomas-Gifford, Engagement Lead at The Repair Campaign, added: “Reparatory justice is not always an easy topic, even for adults, so it is encouraging to see young people engaging with these issues at such a high level. The Repair Campaign is proud to support this competition for a second year, as reparative justice advocacy and public education are at the heart of our work. Young people must be meaningfully involved if the Caribbean reparations movement is to grow and endure.”

She continued: “We commend the CRR for the important work it is doing to bring the conversation about repair to youth across the region. Congratulations to Our Lady of Fatima College on their well-earned victory and to Clarendon College and all the schools from across the region and the UK that took part.”

The 2026 staging of the IRDC unfolded at a pivotal moment in global discourse, following recent developments at the United Nations General Assembly recognising the trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialised chattel enslavement as the gravest crime against humanity. Against this backdrop, the competition continues to serve as a critical platform for youth engagement, research, and advocacy.

Notably, the continued growth and regional impact of the competition have been driven through institutional collaboration and committed partners, underscoring both the strength of regional support and the opportunity for broader national engagement in advancing youth-centred academic initiatives of this scale.

As the curtains close on IRDC 2026, one thing is clear: the future of the reparations movement is informed, articulate, and already in motion.