London, 11 September 2026 — The Antigua and Barbuda National Association UK (ABNA UK), together with Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, High Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda, hosted a sold-out Warri Games Night on Friday, 11 September 2026, bringing together the Antigua and Barbuda diaspora across generations to celebrate and preserve one of Antigua and Barbuda’s enduring cultural traditions.
The evening was dedicated to the art of Warri, with children learning the game for the first time and elders reconnecting with the national board game of Antigua and Barbuda and sharing their knowledge with a new generation.
International Warri Grandmaster Trevor Simon of Antigua and Barbuda attended as the evening’s special guest and provided one-to-one tuition and guidance to players. He was joined by Seth Bonti Asamoah of Ghana, President of the World Oware Federation, and Augusto Basheer of Nigeria, Manager of the Nigerian Warri Team, who also supported participants with practical instruction throughout the evening.
The three arrived in London directly following the VI World Nomad Games in Kyrgyzstan, where Antigua and Barbuda competed in Warri. Their participation also highlighted Warri’s deeper African heritage. Warri belongs to a wider family of mancala games with longstanding roots in West Africa. These traditions crossed the Atlantic with enslaved Africans and became embedded in Caribbean cultural life, including in Antigua and Barbuda.
The event was also attended by the Honourable Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration of Antigua and Barbuda, and Sir Vivian Richards, alongside members of ABNA UK and the High Commissioner’s Office.
During the evening, ABNA UK pledged to sponsor seven children to become members of the Warri Academy, supporting the continued teaching and preservation of the game in Antigua and Barbuda. One child will be selected by the Warri Academy from each of Antigua’s six parishes, together with one child from Barbuda.
The initiative is intended to help ensure that knowledge of Warri is passed to future generations at home, while ABNA UK plans to continue creating opportunities for the game to be learned and played by the diaspora in the United Kingdom through future Games Night events.
Statements
Lyndia Bowers, President of ABNA UK, said:
“Warri is more than a game. It is part of the story, heritage and identity that connects generations of Antiguans and Barbudans. Seeing children in the UK learning to play for the first time, while our elders reconnected with the game and shared their knowledge, showed exactly why traditions like this must be kept alive. Our commitment to sponsor seven children through the Warri Academy is about extending that work back home and helping to ensure that another generation grows up knowing, playing and valuing Warri.”
Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, High Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda, commented:
“Warri is a living expression of our history and identity, and it is especially encouraging to see it bringing generations together here in the United Kingdom. The High Commission is proud to support ABNA UK in creating opportunities for our diaspora to learn, celebrate and pass on this important part of Antigua and Barbuda’s cultural heritage. I warmly commend ABNA UK’s commitment to sponsor seven children through the Warri Academy.”
The Honourable E.P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda, noted:
“The preservation of Warri is part of the preservation of who we are as a people. This event demonstrates the important role our diaspora plays in keeping our traditions strong and sharing them with future generations. I applaud ABNA UK, the High Commission and all those who contributed to the success of the evening, and I welcome the sponsorship of seven young people through the Warri Academy as a meaningful investment in our cultural future.”
Trevor Simon, International Warri Grandmaster for Antigua and Barbuda, said:
“I was happy to be part of the successful Warri Games Night hosted by ABNA UK and Her Excellency, Karen-Mae Hill, continuing our quest to teach, preserve and pass on our heritage game from generation to generation. It was refreshing to observe the camaraderie that was on show.”
Connecting the UK diaspora through culture
ABNA UK was established in 1967 with the aim of uniting and supporting the Antigua and Barbuda diaspora in the United Kingdom.
Its 2026 programme has included a full calendar of activities designed to celebrate Antigua and Barbuda’s heritage, honour its heroes and strengthen the future of the community, with the Warri Games Night forming part of that wider programme of cultural and community engagement.
The event reflected ABNA UK’s continuing focus on creating connections between generations in the UK while maintaining strong cultural ties with Antigua and Barbuda.
Warri Games Night in London
