ORGANISERS OF THE men expo ManUp are looking to focus on issues that impact young men in Barbados.
Co-producer of the ManUp event, Alex McDonald, said next year they hope to bring in the calibre of a Steve Harvey or a Mac Fingall who can speak on issues that relate to what it means to be a man in these modern times.
“Lots of people have different ideas of what being a man is and unfortunately some young people feel being a man is also being violent. The highest art of being a man is not to be violent – anybody can be violent. In our opinion, if you can step away without losing face, that’s a real man,” McDonald said.
He was responding last week Saturday at the Concorde Experience, Grantley Adams International Airport, to a question about how ManUp can practically help young men in Barbados to cultivate healthy values on the at the Concorde Experience, Grantley Adams International Airport, to a question about how ManUp can practically help young men in Barbados to cultivate healthy values in wake of recent crimes committed by some of them.
“The reason we started it [ManUp] is because we found that there was no show for men and we placed it on the weekend before Father’s Day so men should be able to get a good show,” said McDonald.
He said there were a number of opportunities available but, “you just have to step out the box from what you know. And you don’t have to have a tremendous amount of academic knowledge; lots of things are very service-driven and [involve] using your hands”.
ManUp, which is in its second year, had a showing of 72 businesses, which is an increase from 40 in the first year.
The businesses offered a wide selection of attractions, including hardware items, food, insurance, vehicles, as well as health and fitness. Some of the hits were the Jason Jones sponsored King Of The Grill and the Stag Ring My Bell competition. (TG)