NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — The City of North Miami Beach will honor Haitian football star Dukens Nazon on Saturday, April 11, during a special Welcome Reception and Press Conference at City Hall Plaza.
Nazon, widely recognized as Haiti’s all-time leading goal scorer, is expected to be recognized for his achievements on the international stage and his impact as one of the most prominent figures in Haitian football history.
City officials say the event will also highlight North Miami Beach’s commitment to cultural recognition and inclusive community engagement, particularly with its Haitian population, which represents about 23% of the city’s residents.
Dukens Nazon: Honoring a Haitian Football Icon
In choosing to honor Dukens Nazon, North Miami Beach is recognizing more than an accomplished athlete; it is celebrating one of the most important figures in modern Haitian football.
Nazon stands as Haiti’s all-time leading scorer, a distinction that has secured his place among the nation’s most significant sports figures. Through his performances with Les Grenadiers, he has become a symbol of consistency, resilience, and national pride for Haitians at home and across the diaspora.
Affectionately known by supporters as “Chouchou pèp la” — the country’s sweetheart — Nazon played a decisive role during Haiti’s final stretch of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. In a match already remembered as one of the most dramatic in recent Haitian football history, he answered critics with a second-half hat-trick in a 3–3 draw against Costa Rica in San José, a performance that kept Haiti’s World Cup hopes alive and further elevated his stature in the national team’s history.
City officials are expected to present Nazon with a proclamation and the Key to the City, a recognition that reflects both his achievements on the field and his broader significance as a source of pride for the Haitian community.
A City Sending a Message to Its Haitian Residents
Beyond the sports recognition, the ceremony reflects something larger: a clear effort by North Miami Beach leadership to affirm the value of its Haitian residents and their contribution to the city’s identity.
In honoring Nazon, city leaders are doing more than celebrating an athlete. They are acknowledging a community whose cultural, social, and civic influence continues to shape North Miami Beach in meaningful ways.
The event, part of the city’s year-long centennial celebration (1926 – 2026), also aligns with its commitment to cultural recognition and inclusive community engagement, reinforcing the message that Haitian heritage is not a side note in North Miami Beach, but an integral part of its identity.
Culture, Pride, and Community on Display
The April 11 program, scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at North Miami Beach City Hall Plaza, 17011 NE 19th Avenue, North Miami Beach, FL 33162, will include a welcome reception, remarks from city leadership, a proclamation ceremony, the presentation of the Key to the City, and a press conference with members of the media.
It will also include elements of a Haitian Heritage Day celebration, with participation from Little Haiti FC and the Miami World Cup Host Committee, helping create a family-friendly atmosphere centered on culture, pride, and unity.
For many residents, the event will represent more than a public ceremony. It will stand as a strong symbol of recognition — both for a historic Haitian athlete and for a Haitian community that continues to play a major role in the life of North Miami Beach.
