Diaspora Conference Launch in Canada May 30

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, will launch the Diaspora 55 Conference in Canada on Tuesday, May 30, at the Eaton Chelsea Hotel in Toronto.

The conference, slated for July 23 to 26 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, under the theme: ‘Partnering for Growth’, is one of the key activities of the Jamaica 55th anniversary Independence celebrations.

The event is being organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in collaboration with the Jamaican Consulate in Toronto, headed by Consul General to Toronto, Mr. Lloyd Wilks.

Acting Director of the Diaspora Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Lincoln Downer, told JIS News that he will be part of a small team, including Acting Undersecretary of the Diaspora, Protocol and Consulate Division, Ambassador Sharon Saunders, who will travel with the Minister for the launch.

He said the aim is “to galvanise support” and to share various aspects of the preparations in place for the event.

“Of course there are partnership opportunities that we need to share with them and for them to be apprised of,” he added.

The launch will be attended by a broad cross section of Jamaicans living in Toronto, including members of the Steering Committee of the Jamaica 55 Secretariat in Canada. High Commissioner to Canada, Janice Miller, will also speak at the event. There will also be an endorsement from the Diaspora President of the Jamaica/Canada Association, Adaoma Patterson.

Last month, there were Diaspora Conference launches in Miami and New York, in the United States.