Sint Maarten — The Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO hosted its 4th Annual Kite Flying Competition on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex. Schools that took part included MAC Browlia Maillard Campus, Oranje School, St. Joseph School, St. Dominic Primary School, and Sr. Borgia School.
During the event, students proudly showed off and flew kites they designed and built themselves. All of the schools are part of the UNESCO Wire Bending Program, which helps students learn traditional craftsmanship skills like kite-making.
Quincy van Heyningen won first place in the boys’ category, while Yaëly Jansen took first place in the girls’ category.
The judges looked at several things when choosing the winners. They checked if the kite could stay in the air for more than one minute, if it was built correctly using the given design, how strong it was, and how creative and colorful it looked.
Secretary General of UNESCO, Marcellia Henry, thanked everyone who helped make the event a success. She showed appreciation to the school managers, teachers, and students for taking part each year. She also gave special thanks to Mr. Lambert Holder and Mr. Kenrick La Touche for teaching students how to make kites, and to Mr. La Touche and Mr. Edsel Eusebius for serving as judges.
The UNESCO Kite Flying Competition is held every year to help keep St. Maarten’s traditions alive. It gives students a fun way to learn and pass on important cultural and craftsmanship skills to the next generation
