Jamaicans Invited to Take Part in Activities During Geography Awareness Week

The National Spatial Data Management Branch (NSDMB) invites public participation in its series of activities commemorating Geography Awareness Week and the 20th observance of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day.

Geography Awareness Week will be observed internationally in the third week of November, with November 16 being recognised as GIS Day 2022.

The series of activities will officially commence with a launch ceremony on November 3, with special focus on the 10th anniversary of hosting GIS Technical Seminars.

“The seminar this year will be held on November 10, in partnership with the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, in particular its Department of Geography and Geology,” Acting Principal Director of the NSDMB, Simone Lloyd, said at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, on October 28.

“During that event, we will be focusing on how it is that geospatial technologies and information has been pivotal in driving research in various areas and the successes we have been able to realise through that. We invite you to come out and be with us at the event,” she added.

The NSDMB will also host its annual thanksgiving service on November 13 at the St. Luke’s Anglican Church in St. Andrew.

On November 16, the National GIS Day Exposition will be staged at the Assembly Hall, UWI.

“On November 16, Jamaica will celebrate its hallmark 20th year of celebrating Geographic Information Systems Day locally. It is very important and pivotal for us, because we are the only country in the Caribbean that has been celebrating this particular event for such a significant period of time,” said Ms. Lloyd.

The Exposition will engage secondary and tertiary students in a day of interactive learning with professionals in the geospatial fraternity and the geographic information systems technologies they utilise in their daily work.

“We ask schools to send their submissions. We have information available on our website, www.licj.org.jm. There is also information on the Ministry [of Economic Growth and Job Creation’s] website, megjc.gov.jm. Our social media platforms have a number of flyers with all the information on registering and making submissions. So, we look forward to you visiting us, whether it be on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn, with respect to the information that is posted,” Ms. Lloyd said.

Geography Awareness Week and the 20th GIS Day are being observed under the theme ‘Geospatial Technologies: Mapping Our Way to Economic Growth and Recovery”.

The National Spatial Data Management Branch is an arm of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.