The African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank (ACIJ/JMB) will today host the 2025 staging of the Annual Olive Lewin Distinguished Lecture.

This year’s speaker will be Olive Senior, internationally acclaimed Jamaican author and poet, recipient of numerous awards and honours, recognised globally as a writer, researcher, and literary luminary, who served as Poet Laureate of Jamaica from 2021 to 2024.

Starting at 10:00 AM, she will present under the theme ‘Rethinking the Lost Book: Memory, Land, and Fugitive Processes’.

The lecture will be accompanied by a special exhibition mounted in honour of Olive Wilhelmina Mahoney Lewin, offering attendees the opportunity to engage with her life’s work as a pioneering musicologist, folklorist, and a key figure in establishing the Jamaica Memory Bank.

Speaking on the significance of the event, Dr Kirt Henry, director of the ACIJ/JMB, said: “Dr Olive Lewin’s contributions to the preservation of Jamaica’s cultural heritage are immeasurable. This lecture is not only a tribute to her remarkable legacy but also a platform to inspire continued research, documentation, and celebration of our intangible cultural heritage.”

Attendance is free; however, participants are encouraged to register, whether attending in-person or online.

2025 guest speaker Olive Senior