KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport is seeking to have Revival Music inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Denzil Thorpe, made the disclosure at an event dubbed: ‘Salute to the Parish of St James’, at the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ), 10-16 East Street, in Kingston on Tuesday (November 26).

 “It is our intention to seek a declaration for Revival Music because it is common to the entire island,” Thorpe said.

He reminded of the inscription of Reggae to UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, noting that November 29, 2019 is the first anniversary of the inscription. Thorpe also mentioned other world declarations in Jamaica, such as the Maroon Heritage of Moore Town and the Blue and John Crow Mountains.

Thorpe, who represented the Minister, Olivia Grange, said that the parish of St James is associated with every area of the Ministry, “whether culture, gender, entertainment and sport.”

“We have to make sure that the product has demand and it behoves each community not to tarnish their spaces because visitors, both local and foreign, want to share in the love, the vibe and energy of our country,” he said.

He commended the Institute for hosting the public lectures on the parishes, “so that people can be exposed to the heritage and what makes Jamaica so special.”

Meanwhile, guest speaker and Professor of Public Health and Ageing, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Dr Denise Eldemire-Shearer, called on Jamaicans to build “relationships” and “social connectiveness” in the parishes of their birth.  

Professor Eldemire-Shearer, who hails from St James, said the event is an opportunity for persons to think about giving back to the parishes that they came from.

She suggested that people can begin by visiting their parishes to see how they can contribute.

The Professor praised the Institute for highlighting the parishes. “It’s a chance to talk about some of the unknown and the unsung heroes that we take for granted in the parish,” she added.

Salute to the Parish is an annual initiative of the IOJ that highlights the contributions of the 14 parishes and the achievements of some of its citizens who have risen to local, regional and international levels.

—JIS