On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the festive opening of the first Fiesta di Salú (Health Festival) organized by Public Health Bonaire (GGD Bonaire) took place. The event, held at Rayo di Solo / Strea Briante, was entirely centered around healthy eating, physical activity, and water consumption, with an inspiring program tailored for primary school children.
Lieutenant Governor John Soliano and Commissioner Peter Silberie opened the ceremony, emphasizing in their speeches the importance of health and community spirit. Together with two primary school students, they officially launched the event with a symbolic ribbon-cutting at the island’s new drinking water station.
The children were introduced to the Bon Salú Squad, four colorful superheroes who bring healthy choices to life:
* Wòti Walnoot – representing wisdom and focus
* Bita Banana – symbolizing energy and fairness
* Zula Pampuna – embodying care, connection, and pride
* Awasito – representing water, balance, and joy in life
Through a playful mix of education and culture, these superheroes showed that health is a power every child carries within themselves.
The Fiesta di Salú is open to all primary school students. Over the past three weeks, the festival has been celebrated across all primary schools on the island. This week, Fiesta di Salú is taking place within all departments of the Komunidat di Skol Boneriano (SGB). GGD Bonaire warmly invites all children and adults to join the public Health Festival on Sunday, November 2, 2025, during the Cyclovia event in downtown Playa.
Kids in the News
A special part of Fiesta di Salú is Kids in the News, where children work together to create short news items about what they experience and learn. By interviewing others and sharing their own experiences, the children talk with one another about health and lifestyle. In this way, the message comes not only from adults, but especially from peers — in a way that feels close to them and easy to relate to.
The event ties in perfectly with GGD Bonaire’s broader commitment to better understand the environment in which local children grow up. Alongside these festive activities, the Child Monitor 2025 (Kindmonitor 2025) is also taking place — an anonymous questionnaire for parents and caregivers of children aged 0 to 12. The results will provide valuable insights into how children on Bonaire are developing and what kind of support families may need. These insights will form an important foundation for aligning initiatives like Fiesta di Salú and other public health programs even more closely with daily life.
“Fiesta di Salú has shown how music, play, and education together can deliver a powerful message,” said Anesty Pikeur, coordinator of Bon Salú. “The children not only had fun but also discovered that making healthy choices can be enjoyable and achievable. With the insights provided by the Child Monitor, we can ensure that our focus areas are well-placed to strengthen the health of Bonaire’s children in a lasting way.”
Press release: Government of Bonaire
