SHIRLEY
THE EMBASSY of Jamaica in Washington has heightened its outreach efforts to the Jamaican community in the United States in preparation for the Second Conference on the Jamaican Diaspora.
The Conference, which will be staged in Kingston from June 15 to 16 will bring together many participants representing a range of Jamaican community associations, philanthropic organisations, alumni associations, interest groups, as well as private individuals.
MAJOR CORPORATIONS
Representatives of several major Jamaican corporations, primarily representing companies in the food distribution and financial services sectors, will also be participating in and co-sponsoring the event. This year's conference will be held under the theme: 'The Jamaican Diaspora: Unleashing the Potential'.
The preparatory efforts in the United States are being led by Jamaica's Ambassador to Washington, Professor Gordon Shirley, and the Community Relations Officer at the Embassy, Janet Madden.
Since the fall of 2005, the Embassy has been holding consultations with the Jamaican Diaspora Foundation leaders representing several geographic regions, including the north eastern United States, the midwest states, as well as the south eastern United States. Discussions have also been advanced with key sector leaders responsible for critical work areas, such as education, health, as well as trade and investment.
These deliberations are aimed at assisting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, which is centrally responsible for planning and staging the conference, to develop an agenda which will encompass action areas of primary importance to the Diaspora movement.
