A National Symbols Awareness Campaign will begin here as part of activities to mark the 25th year of St. Lucia?s Independence.

The primary goal of the campaign is for the development of a comprehensive awareness of all that is St. Lucian. The yearlong calendar of events is packed with activities geared towards highlighting key institutions of St. Lucia's political, social and economic development. On such activity is the awareness campaign of national symbols.

St. Lucia has a total of eight (8) national symbols - the Coat of Arms, the National Flag the national bird the Saint Lucia Parrot - Amazona Versicolor, the National Anthem, national flowers of La Margarite and La Rose, the national tree the Calabash, the national plant the Bamboo.

The other symbol is the national dress represented by the Wobe Dwiette and Madras. While these symbols are significant to St. Lucian identity and pride, the quality of the response to these symbols is largely dependent on the public's awareness and knowledge of the symbols.

This year will begin the process of giving these symbols more than just ceremonial value. An extensive media campaign to involve radio, television, and the press will begin on Friday 23rd January to Monday 23rd February 2004.

Coordinator of the campaign the Standing Independence Anniversary Steering Committee is hoping for the cooperation of the private media as well as schools in the effort to spread the message throughout the length and breadth of St. Lucia.

The Committee says the application of this campaign is expected to be relatively easy since some of the symbols are incorporated into a number of publications, chief among those the St. Lucia Directory which is widely distributed to all households.

For more information visit www.saintluciasilver.org and http://stluciagovernmenthouse.com/