Jamaicans At Home Encouraged to Tap Into Diaspora Conference Opportunities

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, is encouraging Jamaicans at home to take advantage of the networking and business opportunities available through the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference.

The conference is scheduled to run from June 14 to 18 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

Speaking during a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’, Senator Johnson Smith noted that the conference is not solely geared towards Jamaicans living overseas, but also serves as a vital platform for strengthening connections between the Diaspora and residents on the island.

“You would be surprised at the number of Jamaicans who attend the conference… meaning, who live here. They not only come and set up in the marketplace, but they come, they buy a day ticket, they register, they come and understand what’s happening.

“They meet people, and then they continue their connection, whether for business, for philanthropy, a project they want to work on together, their old school association, or to build some community-based project,” she said.

The Minister further emphasised that the conference continues to draw participants from across the globe, including countries in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe, underscoring the expanding reach of Jamaica’s Diaspora network.

“There is no limit. It’s no longer the USA, UK, and Canada… although we get our largest groups [from those countries],” Senator Johnson Smith remarked, adding a special acknowledgment to Canada, which sent the largest contingent to the last conference.

The 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference brings together members of the Jamaican Diaspora, government leaders, private sector partners, academia, and civil society to advance a shared national priority: building a more climate resilient Jamaica.

This year’s staging is particularly significant in light of recent events, including the impact of Hurricane Melissa and recent seismic activity, which have underscored Jamaica’s vulnerability to both climate related and geological hazards.

Persons interested in attending the conference are invited to register via the official Conference website at bjdc.mfaft.gov.jm.