Editing Caribbean Community (section)

== Symbols ==
=== Standard ===
The flag of the Caribbean Community was chosen and approved in November 1983 at the Conference of Heads of Government Meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The original design by the firm of WINART Studies in Georgetown, Guyana was substantially modified at the July 1983 Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government.<ref name="CARICOM Standard">{{cite web|url=https://caricom.org/about-caricom/who-we-are/our-symbols|title=CARICOM: Our Symbols|access-date=7 July 2019|archive-date=31 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131051917/https://caricom.org/about-caricom/who-we-are/our-symbols|url-status=live}}</ref> The flag was first flown on 4 July 1984 in Nassau, The Bahamas at the fifth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government.<ref name="CRW Flags CARICOM">{{cite web|url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/int-cari.html|title=Caribbean Community and Common Market|website=www.crwflags.com|access-date=3 January 2021|archive-date=25 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125014552/https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/int-cari.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The flag features a blue background, but the upper part is a light blue representing sky and the lower, a darker blue representing the Caribbean Sea. The yellow circle in the centre represents the sun on which is printed in black the logo of the Caribbean Community, two interlocking Cs. The two Cs are in the form of broken links in a chain, symbolising both unity and a break with the colonial past. The narrow ring of green around the sun represents the vegetation of the region.<ref name="CARICOM Standard"/>

=== Song ===
For CARICOM's 40th anniversary, a competition to compose an official song or anthem for CARICOM was launched in April 2013<ref name="History created with new CARICOM song">{{cite web|url=http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/press_releases_2014/pres168_14.jsp|title=History created as new CARICOM song is launched|access-date=12 July 2014|archive-date=14 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714165926/http://www.caricom.org/jsp/pressreleases/press_releases_2014/pres168_14.jsp|url-status=live}}</ref> to promote choosing a song that promoted unity and inspired CARICOM identity and pride. A regional panel of judges comprising independent experts in music was nominated by member states and the CARICOM Secretariat. Three rounds of competition condensed 63 entries to a final three, from which judges chose ''Celebrating CARICOM'' by Michele Henderson of Dominica<ref name="History created with new CARICOM song"/> in March 2014.<ref name="Song Factsheet"/> Henderson won a US$10,000 prize.<ref name="Song Competition Terms of Reference">{{cite web|url=http://www.caricom.org/jsp/community_organs/cohsod_culture/carifesta_X1_2013/TOR_CARICOM_song_competition.pdf|title=CARICOM Song Competition: Terms of Reference|access-date=12 July 2014|archive-date=10 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510131609/http://caricom.org/jsp/community_organs/cohsod_culture/carifesta_X1_2013/TOR_CARICOM_song_competition.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Her song was produced by her husband, Roland Delsol Jr., and arranged by Earlson Matthew. It also featured Michael Ferrol on drums and choral input from the St. Alphonsus Choir. It was re-produced for CARICOM by Carl Beaver Henderson of Trinidad and Tobago.<ref name="Song Factsheet"/>

A second-place entry titled ''My CARICOM'' came from Jamaican Adiel Thomas<ref name="History created with new CARICOM song"/> who won US$5,000,<ref name="Song Competition Terms of Reference"/> and a third-place song titled ''One CARICOM'' by Carmella Lawrence of St. Kitts and Nevis,<ref name="History created with new CARICOM song"/> won US$2,500.<ref name="Song Competition Terms of Reference"/> The other songs from the top-ten finalists (in no particular order) were:

* ''One Region one Caribbean'' from Anguilla,
* ''One Caribbean Family'' from Jamaica,
* ''CARICOM’s Light'' from St. Vincent & the Grenadines,
* ''We Are CARICOM'' from Dominica,
* ''Together As one'' from Dominica,
* ''Blessed CARICOM'' from Jamaica,
* ''Together We Rise'' from Jamaica.<ref name="Song Factsheet">{{cite web|url=https://tropicalfete.com/2014/07/03/word-version-of-caricom-song-competition-fact-sheet/|title=WORD Version of CARICOM song competition Fact Sheet|date=3 July 2014|access-date=3 January 2021|archive-date=22 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122155818/https://tropicalfete.com/2014/07/03/word-version-of-caricom-song-competition-fact-sheet/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The first official performance of ''Celebrating CARICOM'' by Henderson took place on Tuesday 1 July 2014 at the opening ceremony for the Thirty-Fifth Regional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government in Antigua and Barbuda.<ref name="History created with new CARICOM song"/>

=== Celebration ===
==== CARICOM Day ====
The celebration of '''CARICOM Day''' is the selected day some Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries officially recognise the commemorative date of signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas, the agreement that established CARICOM on 4 July 1973. The Treaty was signed in Chaguaramas, Trinidad & Tobago by then leaders of: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago. CARICOM Day is recognised as an official public holiday in Guyana where the secretariat is based, and is [[Public holidays in Guyana|observed]] on the first Monday of July. The government of Antigua and Barbuda has also implemented CARICOM Day as a [[Public holidays in Antigua and Barbuda|holiday]].

The day features activities that are organised by government entities such as parades, pageants, and campaigns to educate people about CARICOM.

=== Caribbean Festival of Arts – CARIFESTA ===
{{Further|Caribbean Festival of Arts}}
'''Caribbean Festival of Arts''', commonly known as '''CARIFESTA''', is an annual festival for promoting arts of the [[Caribbean]] with a different country hosting the event each year. It was started to provide a venue to "depict the life of the people of the Region, their heroes, morals, myths, traditions, beliefs, creativity and ways of expression"<ref>{{cite web|title=History of CARIFESTA|url=https://caricom.org/history-of-carifesta/|access-date=15 March 2021|website=CARICOM|language=en-US|archive-date=18 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210418024701/https://caricom.org/history-of-carifesta/|url-status=live}}</ref> by fostering a sense of Caribbean unity, and motivating artists by showing the best of their home country. It began under the auspices of Guyana's then President [[Forbes Burnham]] in 1972, who was inspired by other singular arts festivals in the region.