Primary School Winners

Belize is a country of peace and tranquility, a role model to be followed due to our actions to combat climate change and promote biodiversity. After the impact of COVID-19, our nation is still rising strong and impacting the world. The vision of Plan Belize is coming to life as there has been poverty reduction, inclusive and sustainable economic and employment growth. MIDH (Minister of Infrastructure Development and Housing) is changing lives, by handing new homes to low-income families. New health centers were constructed as well.

Sustainable development is transforming the lives of all Belizeans with the aid of CARICOM and SICA. Belize’s trade deficit has been decreasing, exporting more of our main industries, such as sugar, seafood, and bananas.

My country is impacting the world as it is the home of spectacular biodiversity, land, and sea. Our great Blue Hole, the Belize Barrier Reef, and Maya Ruins attract many tourists around the world. PACT provides protection and conservation of the natural resources of Belize. The first indigenous person of Maya descent to serve as Governor General of any country in the history of the Commonwealth is serving Belize, Her Excellency Dame Froyla Tzalam. Businesses in Belize have made a positive and environmental impact, for example, Atlantic Bank and E-governance and Digitalization Unit. We can contribute to a changing Belize by spreading kindness, compassion, and love to impact those around us and the world at large. I am the future of Belize and a dreamer of the world.

The world is a complex and ever-changing place, in which lies Belize, a small country in Central America located by the Caribbean Sea. I love my country Belize and believe we do a good job in preserving our coral reefs and marine life. We also take good care of our jaguar conservations, toucan conservations, bird conservations, and all our other conservations we have in Belize. These actions in Belize can hope to inspire other countries and impact our world.

We can also change Belize and impact the world by reducing the amount of plastic we use and stopping pollution. We can also stop damaging trees, and instead plant more trees and all these changes itself can impact our world.

My artwork is all about sharing a powerful message that our actions can have either a positive or negative impact on the world, and it’s usually those around us that feel the benefits from the good or bad. The people standing together symbolize peace, while those offering help represent the significance of aiding others in need. The words on the painting signify a bridge that provides the values we need for change. The empty spaces on the map shows the challenges we face, but also emphasize that we can overcome them by working together and lending a helping hand. This is how we can make our country better and have a positive influence on the world. Remember it all begins at home.

Belize is a small country, but it can have a big impact on the world. My art shows how we can work together to change the way people think and make the world a better place. We need to come together and show the younger generation how important it is to work as a team to rebuild and improve Belize for everyone.

When we show unity and team work, we set a good example for others to want to do better. I hope that my art work inspires people all over the world to do better and make a positive change. Even though Belize is just one country, if we all join forces and work together, we can make a big difference and make a positive change on the world. So let’s unite and make a positive impact! Together, we can change the world and make it better for everyone.

The Atlantic Bank Art Competition theme is “Changing Belize, Impacting the World.” The best way to change Belize is by returning to our cultural roots. Today, we are too caught up in trends and social media. By going back to our roots, and practicing our cultural beliefs and rituals, we may instill good morals and practices into our generation. If Belize begins to revert to more cultural practices, other countries may follow and see how beneficial it can be for the people of the world. In my painting, some people pass through a door, marked back to my roots. As they pass through they are shown wearing cultural clothing. Three women, a Maya, Garifuna, and Creole, hold up a globe and show how this idea can impact the people of the world.

As humans, we should recognize that our impact on the world can have both positive and negative consequences for ourselves and Mother Earth. Mother Earth is the one who cares for us, yet we are destroying her. In my artwork, Mother Earth is in the middle, grateful for everything Belize is doing to nourish and protect her. On the right, we can see a woman who cherishes a bird’s beauty instead of killing it; a sanitation worker advocating for reuse, reduce, and recycle; enforcement of a permanent prohibition of offshore oil drilling in favor of a better future for marine life; protection and preservation of historic sites that symbolizes our pride. To the left shows how humans should interact with jaguars instead of hunting them. Also, Belize should offer more fields of education for the youth to use in the future. However, to achieve this we must first unite as a community.

In my drawing, the animals are safely protected in a national park. In modern days, due to human activities, lands are taken away for our own use. This causes the animals to lose their habitat which eventually leads to the unbalancing of the ecosystem. By building a national park, we can balance the ecosystem and animals can live safely. By being a good example of protecting animals, we can urge other countries to protect their ecosystem. When everyone starts to care about their ecosystem, we can slow down the process of global warming, which eventually will impact the world.

We can change Belize to impact the world by exercising more and using bicycles in short distances, rather than cars, thus promoting a healthier lifestyle and decreasing pollution. Also, having a proper recycling system where trash can be reused or recycled, can make an impact. We need to stop cutting down the jungle and start planting more trees, ensuring enough water sources, like water tanks. We can get natural energy such as from wind energy with windmills and solar energy from solar panels, to generate power for houses and cars. By protecting our natural inheritance, we can make a difference in the world, so people can learn about our history and enjoy our natural resources.

Belize is unique and special to all Belizean people. So, why don’t we protect what is ours? As we know, we live under the regulations and policies of Belize. As the drawing represents, abuse of authority is seen regularly in Belize. Some people believe they have the power to manipulate us. Money has changed humble individuals to be corrupted. The financial crisis has taken Belize in poverty and looking at our surroundings we see different individuals suffering because of a lack of food, health, and education, which leads to young people stealing. 

Electronic devices have taken the place of love at home and many people are using phones and forgetting the interaction among families. As it has been said the young ones are the future, so let’s work harder for our new era, for equality to be seen in our society.

My art pieces is depicting a couple, or parents that both came from broken households. The two bubbles above the family show what they went through as children. Now that they have become parents, they decided to give their child a better life, full of love, one that they didn’t experience. This is changing Belize and impacting the world by inspiring other families that are living in these negative ways. With love and understanding towards children, we will create a better generation of people who will treat the world with respect and appreciation for all things.

In my picture, it shows Belize being unzipped with new discoveries. Our national animals, plants, and Mother Nature gifts are embraced with the care and pride of our people. New cultures and treasures embark from under the zippers, coming out into reality. 

T.E.A.M, Together Each Achieves More, is a fine motto our country can adapt to. Living in unity and being responsive to our environment can unfold new treasures and jewels within its roots. Foreign countries may use this as a sign to signify peace among others and work together to make their home a better place. “Teamwork makes a dream work.”

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Muhammad Ali. My drawing depicts Demetrie Meyers crossing the finish line, being the first to win a gold medal for Belize at the CARIFTA track and field event. From my perspective, as a fan of sports, for us to see a change in Belize while impacting the world, we must invest in our young athletes. Belize has recently been recognized both locally and internationally in various sporting events. Sports serve as a vital connecting thread that unites individuals across and within societies in a world that is frequently divided. Sports has the power to impact the world by teaching us to work as a team to achieve a goal. If we invest in our young athletes, we can develop or maintain strong personal communication with other people around the world. It all starts with the right mindset.

As a young, strong, energetic boy, I will use my voice on every social media platform to educate the people of the world of how important it is to keep our seas and oceans free from plastics. The ocean is the largest ecosystem on the earth, thus it is very important to keep it clean. 

Plastic are dangerous to animals. They can cause suffocation, and animals can entangle themselves in the plastic. If we are careful and don’t throw plastic in the sea or near the ocean, these animals will be protected and given the chance to live and grow to their fullest. If this happens, then they will also reproduce, and the world will benefit from having a lot of sea animals. That is why I want to educate young and old on how important it is to keep our sea and ocean free from plastics.

My painting shows how as Belizeans, we can change our Jewel, and in turn, impact the world. The first half of the painting shows how our actions can have a positive effect on the world. The images of the map of Belize show the following: 

1. Appreciation for the things we have 
2. Having a clean and healthy environment
3. Planting trees for the good of the planet 
4. Helping and caring for the elderly 
5. Developing a habit of recycling
6. The heart shows love and appreciation for our country and the world
7. Keeping our environment clean all the time 

The second half of the painting shows a healthy world with many trees that help it breathe and fight global warming. I hope my painting will help people realize that even the small changes in our communities positively impact the world.