Jamaica boosts cultural heritage protection with UNESCO ratification move

Jamaica has signed the Instrument of Ratification for the UNESCO 1970 Convention aimed at preventing the illicit import, export and transfer of ownership of cultural property, in a move the Government says strengthens protection of the country’s heritage.

Signing an instrument of ratification is the final, formal act by which a state officially declares its consent to be bound by an international treaty or convention. UNESCO is the United Nations body responsible for culture.

The signing was done by Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange on behalf of the Government of Jamaica, following authorisation from Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, said a statement from the culture ministry on Thursday.

The ceremony also coincided with the official visit of UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany, the first UNESCO chief to visit Jamaica in 23 years.

El-Enany, the first UNESCO Director-General from the Arab world and the second from the African continent, said Jamaica has been a strong partner of UNESCO, adding that the organisation remains committed to that relationship.

According to the statement, Grange said the "ratification sends a clear message that Jamaica values its heritage, Jamaica protects its cultural property, and Jamaica will not allow its history to be traded away".

“It firmly positions our country within the global network committed to preventing the illicit trafficking and theft of our artefacts, activities that result in the erosion and loss of a nation’s history, identity, and collective memory, particularly for source countries like Jamaica.”

She added: “We deliberately aligned this process with amendments to the Jamaica National Heritage Trust Act, recognising that strong international commitments must be supported by robust domestic legislation.”

Minister Grange said Cabinet has also approved ratification of the 1995 UNIDROIT Convention on stolen or illegally exported cultural objects, alongside amendments to the Jamaica National Heritage Trust Act, which have been submitted for drafting instructions.

Grange said steps have also been taken to strengthen enforcement capacity among border agencies.

“Our focus has been on building capacity, particularly among our border control and law enforcement agencies. This effort has included targeted training for officers of the Jamaica Customs Agency, engaging approximately two hundred officers across Kingston and Montego Bay, who are now better equipped to identify, intercept, and protect cultural property.”

She added that further training is planned and pointed to recent interceptions at ports as evidence of progress.

“These efforts are already yielding results, as the Jamaica Customs Agency has engaged the ministry regarding two cultural items intercepted at our main ports.”

The minister also said Jamaica is pursuing the return of cultural objects taken during the colonial period, noting engagement with the United Kingdom and plans for expert-level discussions.

“The United Kingdom invited us to have two of our experts visit the British Museum to look at items there that were taken from Jamaica.”

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