State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, has invited friends of Jamaica to attend the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, scheduled for June 14 to 18 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James.

“The conference is open to friends of Jamaica. It is not just limited to our Jamaican family but to our extended family,” he explained during a virtual townhall with Jamaicans living in Latin America on Tuesday (May 19).

The townhall was the latest in a series of engagements where the State Minister connected with Jamaicans across the diaspora, sharing information and addressing questions about the upcoming Conference.

It drew attendees from Mexico, Belize, Panama, Guatemala, Ecuador, and several other countries.

In his remarks, Mr. Terrelonge emphasised that the Conference offers an excellent opportunity for Jamaicans abroad and friends of Jamaica to engage with ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs); non-governmental organisations (NGOs); and leading private-sector entities on the island.

“The Conference programme has been meticulously curated to facilitate rich and meaningful exchanges on ways to invest in Jamaica, whether it’s in terms of real estate, business, or entrepreneurship, and just connecting with businesses generally,” the State Minister informed.

He highlighted that this year’s Conference places strong emphasis on social impact through volunteerism, while fostering a deeper sense of Jamaican identity among second, third, and fourth-generation Jamaicans living abroad.

Meanwhile, with just over three weeks remaining before the event, Mr. Terrelonge noted that the Conference marketplace – one of its many offerings – has been oversubscribed, despite being expanded this year to accommodate additional entities.

“In 2024… we had 60 booths inside the marketplace. Based on the demand, we extended the marketplace this year to 80. And whilst we have already confirmed 80 persons or 80 businesses/organisations/government departments/agencies… different private-sector teams for the marketplace… we still have another 30 persons or business entities wanting to get into the marketplace,” he indicated.

The State Minister described this as a positive outcome, noting that such strong interest will help propel Jamaica forward with greater resilience.

“The Conference promises to be a great opportunity to build your brand, to build you… of course, whilst playing your part in building a more resilient Jamaica,” he noted, while encouraging the townhall participants to attend.

The 11th Biennial Conference will be held under the theme ‘Diaspora Partnerships: Re-Building a More Resilient Jamaica’.

Tickets for the event are available at http://aitix.app/bjdc.