My fellow Jamaicans, on this Heroes’ Day we stand as one people — proud and free — to celebrate the spirit that built our great nation.

Ours is a story written in courage and conviction, a heritage born of struggle, guided by faith, and carried forward by generations of Jamaicans who refused to give up on the promise of this blessed island. When we speak of a proud and bold heritage, we speak of men and women who changed the course of history.

We think of Paul Bogle, whose courage in the face of injustice taught us that freedom demands sacrifice. We remember George William Gordon, whose faith in fairness and good governance reminds us that leadership must serve the people, not power. We honour Nanny of the Maroons, whose resilience and strategic brilliance showed that freedom must be defended with wisdom and unity. We celebrate Sam Sharpe, who rose from bondage to become a symbol of moral conviction, proving that liberty begins in the mind. We revere Marcus Garvey, whose vision of black pride and self-reliance gave us confidence in our own worth as a people. We salute Norman Manley, who believed that discipline and education were the foundations of progress. And we honour Sir Alexander Bustamante, whose fearless advocacy for workers’ rights and national independence ensured that our nation was built on justice and for every citizen.

Together, these heroes represent the spirit in which Jamaica was forged, with courage, faith, intellect, sacrifice, and love of country. They lived in different eras and faced different struggles, but all shared one conviction: that our people were destined to be free and prosperous.

Our heritage is not something locked away in the pages of history. It is a living call, a charge to each of us to carry forward the values of discipline, hard work, respect, and love for one another. Our forebears fought so that we could live purposefully, and we must guard our freedom with great vigilance and commitment. If we are to honour the legacy of our heroes, we must return to the principles that made us who we are: respect for law, reverence for God, and pride in honest work.

The theme this year — ‘Celebrating a Proud and Bold Heritage’ — calls on us to be faithful heirs to a story written in courage. Jamaica’s history is the story of a people who refused to remain shackled, who faced adversity, and who carved out freedom through sheer will. Our ancestors built Jamaica with their very own hands, and we must continue to do the same, even as we leverage innovation and intellect. That is why we continue to strengthen our economy; expand opportunities in housing, education, and technology; and prepare our young people to thrive in the global economy.

But the greatest work lies not in the infrastructure we build, but in our character. It lies in teaching our youth that patriotism is a lifestyle; that to love Jamaica is to serve her with excellence, protect her from harm, and lift her name with pride wherever we go.

So, today, as we pay tribute to our national heroes, let us also honour the living heroes among us: the teachers who shape minds, the nurses who heal with compassion, the farmers who till the soil, our athletes who give us much pride, the police and soldiers who keep us safe, and every Jamaican who rises each morning to do an honest day’s work. You, too, are the continuation of that proud and bold heritage.

The world around us may shift and change, but Jamaica’s destiny will always rest in our own hands. If we labour with purpose, stand united in spirit, and hold fast to our values, there is no mountain we cannot climb, and no dream beyond our reach.

My fellow Jamaicans, let us celebrate our proud and bold heritage. May we live each day as an ode to those who came before us. May our daily actions and choices become a tribute honouring the sacrifices, struggles, and contributions of our national heroes.

As you go about your activities this Heroes’ Day, I encourage you to make safety and security a priority. Be safe on the roads, avoid activities that could put your safety at risk, and look out for one another, especially those who might be struggling emotionally or otherwise.

I use this opportunity to remind Jamaicans: You are stronger than you know; who you are and the ideas you have matter. Let us together build on the foundation laid by our national heroes and continue moving forward in faith and conviction.

God bless you, and God bless Jamaica, land we love.

Dr Andrew Holness is prime minister of Jamaica.

Andrew Holness.