Jamaica National Heritage Trust Celebrates 20 Years of Emancipation Jubilee

Kingston, Jamaica, (July 7, 2017) – On Monday July 31, 2017, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) will host its annual Emancipation Jubilee at the Seville Heritage Park in St. Ann under the theme, “Jamaica 55, Mek Wi Keep Jubilee Alive!”. The event which is in its twentieth year is slated to begin at 7:00pm and will be under the distinguished patronage of Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, The Honourable, Olivia Grange, CD, MP.

The first staging of the Emancipation Jubilee took place on July 31, 1997 with the aim of honouring African ancestors and their contributions towards national development. Since then, the JNHT has commemorated the event, annually, with cultural packages showcasing the African aspects of the country’s heritage. Emancipation Jubilee provides an opportunity for Jamaicans to recognise, reminisce and honor our African retentions.

‘This event aims to bring greater awareness and acceptance both locally and globally to the many struggles of our fore parents and to exhibit the retentions in our society and the significant contribution that this part of our history has played in our development as a race, people, and a nation’, shared Mr. Dorrick Gray, Executive Director for the Jamaica National Heritage Trust.

The show, which will be hosted by Amina Blackwood – Meeks and Wesley Scott will see musical presentations which will showcase various aspects of the Jamaican culture, including Kumina and other traditional rituals. Also on the Seville stage will be several gospel and reggae artistes, who will perform from midnight until morning.

The Jamaica National Heritage Trust is a statutory body under the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES) with a legal mandate to promote, preserve and develop the nation’s heritage. The organisation legally declares or designates places and objects of historical value as National Monuments or Protected National Heritage.

Click for PDF download: Press Release- Emancipation Jubilee 2017

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