H.E. Nestor Mendez,

OAS Assistant Secretary General

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Organization of American States, we are honored to collaborate with the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) in observing Jamaica National Heritage Week through this joint virtual expo, which celebrates the rich cultural heritage of our hemisphere.

As pioneers of musical art forms, bastions of political thought, and trailblazers in sports, just to name a few, Jamaican luminaries have undoubtedly played a significant role in defining our hemisphere’s legacy, thus leaving an indelible imprint on our world. It is a distinguishable heritage born from resistance, nestled in pride, and one that is a triumphant manifestation of a people’s fortitude to overcome and lead heroically.

Our virtual expo aims to complement and amplify this enduring Jamaican heritage by highlighting and recognizing the expansive influence of people of African Descent in shaping our societies and contributing to the socio-economic, political, and cultural development of the hemisphere.

The exhibit includes a compilation of artwork from the Caribbean collection of the OAS Art Museum of the Americas (AMA), a photo exhibit of people of African Descent in the Americas, as well as profiles of historically renowned persons of African descent in OAS Member States in commemoration of the International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024).

With over 50 years of OAS membership, Jamaica’s influence permeates every corner of the hemisphere and our Organization has benefited profusely from the Government of Jamaica’s unwavering commitment to our shared principles of democracy, human rights, multi-dimensional security, and social and economic development.

The OAS looks forward to continuing its fruitful collaboration with the National Library of Jamaica and the Government of Jamaica and wishes both the Government and people of Jamaica a successful 2020 National Heritage Week

Farah Urrutia,

Secretary for Access to Rights and Equity (SARE)

of the General Secretariat of the OAS

Jamaica, though an island of just 4224 square miles, is a force to be reckoned with at the global level. As a result of its regional and global influence, Jamaicans have an innate sense of pride in their identity and are fully aware of their place in the world as people of African Descent. This is why we at the Secretariat for Access to Rights and Equity are so honored to join the National Library of Jamaica in celebration of the Jamaican People through this year’s National Heritage Week.

One of the main goals of the Department of Social Inclusion which falls within my Secretariat is to “raise the visibility of the cultural, economic, political and social contributions made by the Afro-descendant population to progress in the region”. With this goal in mind, the Department, in collaboration with the Institute of Public Policies in Human Rights of MERCOSUR, launched a regional contest in 2019 to capture snapshots of the lives of the approximately 200,000 People of African Descent in the Americas. This Virtual Photo Exhibition “People of African Descent in the Americas” showcases the winning entries of the contest.

We are happy to contribute this Photo Exhibition in celebration of the impact of Afrodescendant populations, in Jamaica and throughout the Western Hemisphere and their intrinsic importance in the formation of our Pan-American identity. We invite viewers to not merely see these photos in the specific contexts in which they were taken in Brazil, Colombia, Honduras, etc. These photos could have easily been in Jamaica or in any other island of the Caribbean, or even in the United States. These photos transcend time and space to show the collective experience of People of African Descent. Furthermore, these photos do not just showcase People of African Descent. These are photos of all of us, through our shared human experience. We are all, regardless of our race, reflected in the faces of the subjects of these photographs.

Jeanelle van GlaanenWeygel,

OAS Representative in Jamaica

One of the main objectives of the Office of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Jamaica is to familiarize the people of Jamaica with the work of the Organization. It is always gratifying to partner with our friends of the National Library of Jamaica since this affords the OAS an opportunity to demonstrate just how Jamaica’s membership in the OAS impacts the lives of the people of the country. Our partnership this year includes a virtual exhibit to give more visibility to the importance of and the contributions made by afro descendants in the Americas. We are especially thrilled about the significance of this collaboration during Heritage Week, as this year marks the 45th anniversary since Jamaica established a dedicated space on its official calendar as Heritage Week. In the wise words of Nelson Mandela: “Our rich and varied cultural heritage has a profound power to help build our nation”(s). It is my hope as the OAS Representative in Jamaica that the viewers of this virtual exhibit will appreciate the spirit and symbolism of the artwork and develop a deeper understanding of and appreciation for our rich cultural heritage all over the Americas. We thank the National Library of Jamaica for its continued support and collaboration with the OAS Office in Jamaica and thank you for your interest and patronage.

Pablo Zúñiga,

Former Director, OAS Art Museum of the Americas

The AMA | Art Museum of the Americas of the Organization of American States (OAS) has the honor to join the National Library of Jamaica in celebrating Jamaica’s Heritage Week. This year, we commemorate Jamaican Resilience and Pride by exhibiting a selection of works from AMA’s permanent collection.

Over the course of the rich history of OAS art collecting, our collection has been strengthened by the participation of pioneering and outstanding Jamaican and Pan-Caribbean artists, many of whose works have found homes in our permanent collection, a sampling of which is seen here.

The diversity of aesthetic and subject matter throughout the modern and contemporary arts of the Caribbean presents free and unfettered creative expression exemplary of the OAS mandate of More Rights for More People, helping to pave the way for a deeper dialog among the peoples of the Americas.

Having enjoyed Jamaican culture firsthand, I can attest that the artists of our collection reflect the core values celebrated in this year’s Heritage Week—Pride and Resilience!