A mix of students, teachers and staff members of the Saba Comprehensive School (SCS) gathered at different locations on Thursday, May 5, Liberation Day, to enjoy the Freedom Breakfast.

Organized locally by the SCS, freedom breakfasts were held at eight locations on Saba from 8:00 to 10:00 am: the Flight Deck, Bizzy B in the Windwardside, Island Flavor, Bottom Bean, Queen’s Garden, Ecolodge, the Home and the SCS. In all locations, there was a mix of students, SCS staff and invited guests. The idea was to have a shared breakfast in a safe environment, something that is unfortunately not possible everywhere in the world.

Island Governor Jonathan Johnson participated in the Freedom Breakfast at Queen’s Garden, together with a group of about 20 persons. SCS teacher Peter Johnson acted as the moderator at this location. SCS teacher Jet Kramer explained to the Freedom breakfast participants how Liberation Day was celebrated in the Netherlands with music, concerts, street parties and other public activities. “It is about being together, celebrating together.”

Each participant at the Freedom Breakfast received a discussion card with a question. There were questions such as: What does freedom mean to you? How would you contribute to the freedom of others? Have you ever not felt free? Besides Liberation Day, do you actually reflect on freedom on other days? When do you feel free? What do you reflect on May 4 and 5? Has your opinion on freedom changed in recent years?

During the breakfast, the participants shared their answers to the question on their discussion cards with the group at the table. The answers generated an interesting conversation about freedom whereby the invited guests were asked to share their answers with the entire group. Ukraine was mentioned as one of the countries where freedom has been restricted because of war.

A short movie of the Netherlands National Committee May 4 and 5 was shown about Aruba during WWII, the mandatory blackout to prevent attacks of German U-boats on the oil refinery in San Nicolas and how people in Aruba at the time perceived the war in Europe and the concentration camps. Short movies about WWII and freedom were made on several Dutch Caribbean islands.

This was the third time that the Freedom Breakfast took place on Saba. Freedom breakfasts and freedom meals took place all over the Dutch Kingdom on May 5, Liberation Day under the auspices of the National Committee May 4 and 5.

SCS