KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s 11th Biennial Diaspora Conference is set to bring global attention to the island nation’s untapped creative economy potential, with sprint legend and global sports icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Prycy stepping into the spotlight as a featured panel speaker. State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Alando Terrelonge has publicly hailed Fraser-Pryce’s participation, framing her involvement as a major boost to the conference’s core goal of turning Jamaica’s global cultural and athletic influence into tangible economic growth.
Per an official statement from the foreign affairs ministry, Fraser-Pryce will share her insights on the conference’s third day during the high-profile panel discussion titled “Leveraging the Creative Economy to Build Stronger Cultural Industries”. The session is designed to unpack actionable strategies Jamaica can deploy to better capitalize on its world-renowned cultural, athletic and creative assets. Discussion points will center on attracting cross-border investment, nurturing homegrown entrepreneurship, and building long-term economic resilience that insulates the country from global market volatility.
Fraser-Pryce will share the panel with a cohort of distinguished leaders across Jamaica’s creative and public sectors. Joining her are Olivia Grange, the country’s Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport; award-winning Jamaican film producer Storm Saulter; popular singer-songwriter Naomi Cowan; rising actress Kimberley Patterson; and Joe Bogdanovich, CEO of Downsound Entertainment and organizer of the iconic Reggae Sumfest. Together, the group will explore pathways to strengthen Jamaica’s cultural industries, expand the global footprint of “Brand Jamaica”, and unlock new, sustainable income opportunities for local creatives, athletes and entrepreneurs to capitalize on the nation’s massive international soft power.
Terrelonge emphasized that Jamaica’s unique global standing in culture, music, sports, film, fashion and creative talent gives the small island nation a competitive edge few similarly sized economies can match. “Our responsibility is to convert that global influence into enterprise, investment and sustainable economic opportunities for our people. The diaspora has a central role to play in that effort,” he explained in his remarks. The minister extended an open invitation to Jamaican communities living overseas and global investment partners to back opportunities within Brand Jamaica, supporting the development of industries, digital and physical platforms, and cross-sector partnerships that will propel Jamaica’s creative economy to new heights.
The global creative economy currently generates trillions of dollars in annual value and stands as one of the fastest-growing economic sectors worldwide, a fact Terrelonge highlighted to underscore the urgency of Jamaica’s efforts. He confirmed that the Jamaican government has prioritized advancing policy frameworks and targeted initiatives to strengthen the local creative industry ecosystem, recognizing the sector’s outsized role in driving economic diversification, creating new jobs for Jamaicans, empowering youth populations, fostering innovation, and preserving the nation’s rich cultural heritage.
Terrelonge also offered special recognition to the GraceKennedy Group, a legacy partner of the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference. He praised the conglomerate for its decades-long commitment to driving national development and its consistent support for initiatives that engage the Jamaican diaspora in domestic growth efforts. “Their support in bringing Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce into this conversation adds one of Jamaica’s most influential global voices to a session focused on the future of the country’s cultural and creative economy,” Terrelonge noted.
Beyond the creative economy panel, the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference functions as a cross-sector platform for collaboration, investment and innovation. It brings together Jamaicans from diaspora communities across the globe and international allies of the nation to co-design and advance initiatives that drive inclusive, long-term growth and development across Jamaica.