The 14th staging of the Jamaica Poetry Festival (JPF) on Sunday at University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) was a success, according to its conceptualiser Yasus Afari.

“We added several other elements to the event; namely, synchronised swimming to poetry [and] poetic volleyball. We maintained the creative writing, we maintained the dinner that we introduced in 2022, which was held at the UTech Hotel. We started on time, and we were successful in terms of sponsorship… We had rain and we had the Olympics, but we were still able to deliver a good event by all indicators,” Afari told the Jamaica Observer.

The JPF also featured Blossom O’Meally Nelson, Steppa, Jazmin “Jazzt J” Headley (international child star), Herbie Miller, Professor Clinton Hutton, Hugo Barrington, Denise Brown, UTech student Ossie Gee, Dr Michael Abrahams, Simone Absolom Gayle, and others.

Dancehall superstar Sean Paul as well as Dr Alfred Sangster, who was the president of College of Arts Science and Technology (CAST) before it was renamed UTech, were honoured with lifetime achievement awards.

Sean Paul was unable to attend in person, but sent a video greeting expressing gratitude for the award.

Reiterating that the entire day of activities, from start to finish, went well, the organiser was particularly pleased with certain elements of this year’s festival.

“The synchronised swimming to poetry was a highlight because it was historic. We had struggled a bit in order to get the [Aquatic Sports Association of Jamaica (ASAJ)] to understand what we’re trying to achieve and why, but we were very, very proud [of the showcase], especially in a pool that I nearly drowned in in the 80s. To come and fulfil something that I’ve always wanted to do with the excellent synchronised swimming association administrators, swimmers, and coaches, it was really a moment for me,” he said, adding that the “poetic volleyball” was also a sight to behold.

Proceeds from the charity dinner which preceded the festival’s performances were in support of mental health/ Harold Butler.

In previous years, Jamaica Poetry Festival supported Jamaica Association for the Deaf (JAD) and Jamaica Society for the Blind (JSB).

Director/curator of Jamaica Music Museum Herbie Miller shares in the evening’s performances.

Romeo Grey, who also plays with Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, accompanies Herbie Miller.

Jamaica Poetry Festival conceptualiser Yasus Afari and special guest from Canada, Marcia Braham.