More than 250 prospective volunteers have completed a major training exercise as Antigua and Barbuda steps up preparations to host the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

The one-day training session was held Saturday at the Multipurpose Cultural Centre and forms part of the country’s effort to recruit at least 500 volunteers to support the November 1 to 4 summit.

Volunteer Coordinator for CHOGM 2026, Anika Kentish, said participants responded positively to the interactive training programme, which covered a range of key areas needed to prepare volunteers for the international event.

According to Kentish, the demand for volunteers is significantly higher than for recent major conferences hosted in Antigua and Barbuda, including the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) in 2024 and the Organisation of American States (OAS) General Assembly held last year.

Training modules included an introduction to the Commonwealth and CHOGM, service excellence, communication, teamwork, and professionalism, including ethics.

Kentish said additional training will be conducted after the Carnival celebrations, including leadership sessions for team and venue leaders, as well as job-specific training where required.

Organisers say volunteers will play a key role in delivering the Commonwealth summit, which is expected to bring leaders and delegates from across the Commonwealth to Antigua and Barbuda later this year.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: More Than 250 Volunteers Complete CHOGM 2026 Training as Recruitment Drive Continues.