The 23rd edition of the St. Martin Book Fair highlighted both cultural achievement and environmental justice this year.
Antonio Carmona Báez and Tadzio Bervoets received the Presidents Award during the Main Book Launch and Closing Ceremony at the University of St. Martin on June 6th. Organizers say the award recognizes individuals and institutions whose work combines literary, cultural, and liberation values in service of progress.
Carmona Báez, President of the University of St. Martin, was recognized for his scholarship and work in political economy, Caribbean labor, and decolonial thought. Bervoets was honored for his environmental leadership, writing, and conservation work across St. Martin and the wider Caribbean.
Bervoets also facilitated a Book Fair community session titled “Soualigans, We Need You,” where residents helped develop an Environmental Justice Statement for St. Martin.
Participants identified concerns about disappearing natural spaces, hillside development, freshwater resources, beach access, and the need for stronger environmental protections.
The statement calls for greater public participation, cross-border cooperation, mandatory environmental impact assessments, and stronger protection of St. Martin’s land, water, and natural heritage for future generations.