6,000 expected to attend Emancipation Jubilee
KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — More than 6,000 patrons are expected to attend the 19th staging of the Emancipation Jubilee to be held at the Seville Heritage Park in St Ann.
The cultural event, under the theme: ‘United and Free…What a Jubilee’, will be held from July 31 into Emancipation Day on August 1.
It is being organised by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust (JNHT) under the distinguished patronage of Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Olivia Grange.
The annual celebration, which commemorates Jamaica’s Emancipation in 1834, showcases the island’s unique culture through song, dance, drumming, drama, food and fashion.
Project Consultant for the event, Joan Seagears, said that in addition to the usual support from Jamaicans at home and in the diaspora, the JNHT is looking to attract more foreigners for Emancipation Jubilee.
She informed that the agency is partnering with some hotels to promote the event to their guests. Among the major sponsors is Jewel Resorts Jamaica.
Seagears, who was addressing a recent JIS Think Tank, said Emancipation Jubilee, along with the staging of other cultural activities throughout the year in the parish, has the potential to boost heritage tourism.
“What I would hope to see is continuity in the form of other people trying to promote this cultural heritage. I would love to see other hotels in Jamaica start showcasing our unique culture. I would encourage most of the hotel owners and entertainment managers to just look at our country and look at our culture and start using our people,” she noted.
She said that awardees from the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s (JCDC) Festival of the Arts competitions could provide a rich line-up of talent for these events.
Speaking on behalf of the sponsors, Area Sales Director for Jewel Resorts, Charmaine Deane, endorsed Emancipation Jubilee, noting that it should become a staple on the annual tourism calendar.
“It is about celebrating who we are and making sure that we align ourselves with those events that will celebrate us as a people,” Deane said.
