Port-au-Prince – November 26, 2025 – In a deliberate act of terror, armed assailants set fire to the century-old Institution du Sacré-Cœur, one of Haiti’s most revered Catholic schools, late Monday evening, partially destroying the landmark facility in the Turgeau neighborhood.
Founded in 1905 and painstakingly rebuilt after the catastrophic 2010 earthquake, the school has educated generations of children from some of Port-au-Prince’s poorest families. On November 25, just before nightfall, masked gunmen stormed the campus, looted offices, and ignited multiple fires before disappearing into surrounding streets now largely controlled by armed gangs.
In a statement released Tuesday, school administrators expressed “profound pain and indignation” at what they called a “barbaric, criminal, and irresponsible” attack.
“This deliberate fire does not only destroy walls and classrooms — it attacks the future of hundreds of children and the hope we carry for Haiti. Education will always remain stronger than destruction.”
No students or staff were harmed, thanks to a rapid evacuation when the assault began, but several classrooms, administrative offices, and irreplaceable teaching materials were lost.
Local firefighters arrived quickly but struggled to contain the blaze due to chronic shortages of water and equipment — a grim reality across the capital.
The arson is the latest in an escalating campaign against schools, hospitals, and places of worship in gang-controlled zones. In recent weeks alone, health centers have been looted and burned, markets torched, and entire neighborhoods emptied by force.
According to the United Nations, more than 700,000 Haitians have been displaced internally this year, with schools increasingly caught in the crossfire. Many institutions have already suspended classes indefinitely, leaving thousands of children without access to education.
Human rights organizations and religious leaders condemned the attack, calling it a direct assault on Haiti’s future.
“Sacred Heart has been a beacon of stability and dignity for 120 years,” said Sister Marie-Claire Dupont, a longtime educator at the school. “Burning a school is burning hope itself.”
As Haiti’s transitional government struggles to restore order and international support remains limited, the message from Sacré-Cœur remains defiant: classes will resume as soon as repairs allow.
But for now, another piece of Haiti’s cultural and educational heritage lies in ashes — a stark reminder that in today’s Port-au-Prince, even the sanctuary of a classroom is no longer safe.
We will continue to follow recovery efforts and any developments in the investigation.
![Grammy-winning producer and Haitian cultural ambassador Michaël Brun is bringing BAYO back to Miami’s Little Haiti on November 22, for a free block party celebrating the movement’s 10th anniversary, made possible through a major partnership with Rockstar Games.
Presented with support from Rockstar Games, the company behind the #GrandTheftAuto (https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/grandtheftauto/) franchise, the event will welcome up to 7,500 attendees, the largest Little Haiti edition to date. Admission is free, with tickets distributed through a raffle and more than half reserved specifically for Florida residents and Haitian communities. Fans can sign up now at [bayotour.com]
In announcing the return, Brun said: “10 years ago, BAYO made its US debut as a free block party in Little Haiti celebrating Haitian and Caribbean culture. That show was the beginning of a beautiful journey across 12 cities, over 50,000 tickets sold, multiple arena and park shows and over 140 artist guests from around the world. I’m so proud to be bringing BAYO back to Little Haiti for our biggest show ever on November 22nd. New venue, huge surprises, our most iconic lineup of all time and FREE tickets courtesy of Rockstar Games.”
The timing adds another layer of visibility. Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated GTA VI is set for release on November 19, 2026, just three days before the BAYO celebration. The game’s fictional Vice City is famously inspired by Miami, placing the partnership and the Little Haiti event in the same cultural spotlight.
The Little Haiti return closes an anniversary run that already included Boston’s Agganis Arena and a sold-out three-night residency at Brooklyn Paramount. With Rockstar Games’ support making the celebration free and accessible, the 10th anniversary returns full circle to the neighborhood where BAYO began, bringing music, culture, and community together on a bigger stage.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://www.lunionsuite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/857202981_18645558742023307_1930732005552624620_n-512x640.jpg)
![Grammy-winning producer and Haitian cultural ambassador Michaël Brun is bringing BAYO back to Miami’s Little Haiti on November 22, for a free block party celebrating the movement’s 10th anniversary, made possible through a major partnership with Rockstar Games.
Presented with support from Rockstar Games, the company behind the #GrandTheftAuto (https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/grandtheftauto/) franchise, the event will welcome up to 7,500 attendees, the largest Little Haiti edition to date. Admission is free, with tickets distributed through a raffle and more than half reserved specifically for Florida residents and Haitian communities. Fans can sign up now at [bayotour.com]
In announcing the return, Brun said: “10 years ago, BAYO made its US debut as a free block party in Little Haiti celebrating Haitian and Caribbean culture. That show was the beginning of a beautiful journey across 12 cities, over 50,000 tickets sold, multiple arena and park shows and over 140 artist guests from around the world. I’m so proud to be bringing BAYO back to Little Haiti for our biggest show ever on November 22nd. New venue, huge surprises, our most iconic lineup of all time and FREE tickets courtesy of Rockstar Games.”
The timing adds another layer of visibility. Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated GTA VI is set for release on November 19, 2026, just three days before the BAYO celebration. The game’s fictional Vice City is famously inspired by Miami, placing the partnership and the Little Haiti event in the same cultural spotlight.
The Little Haiti return closes an anniversary run that already included Boston’s Agganis Arena and a sold-out three-night residency at Brooklyn Paramount. With Rockstar Games’ support making the celebration free and accessible, the 10th anniversary returns full circle to the neighborhood where BAYO began, bringing music, culture, and community together on a bigger stage.
#lunionsuite #haitianamerican](https://scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.82787-15/858197944_18645558700023307_686072295350904763_n.jpg?stp=dst-jpg_e35_tt6&_nc_cat=100&ccb=7-5&_nc_sid=18de74&efg=eyJlZmdfdGFnIjoiQ0FST1VTRUxfSVRFTS5iZXN0X2ltYWdlX3VybGdlbi5DMyJ9&_nc_ohc=bOQ5XMx_Z1YQ7kNvwGG7S4C&_nc_oc=AdpRGLfZNHddto393TLgTmmy4hfWc5JLTXDdw5hgJXVgYUpW7ZDy46ppArbX5fDarcg&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-yyz1-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&_nc_gid=W1zCNmNwJuk5msuNjfLbTQ&_nc_tpa=Q5bMBQKgO0WVvqMTObMW6SJgN5QkraXbIW4tJ2PcO67RxKUH3tW8gNvrwtL7s1if9he47JT8Sqf76zzB&oh=00_AQNgoarcKGynH8kpzxP3faI1ZyeSM1-_zR4Od_Kvg_kA6g&oe=6ADD8873)
