IWF Invades Jamaica

Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:The melodious voice of Karen Smith will linger for years to come, and Annie Palmer's Rose Hall Great House reconfirmed that women are supreme. Any female who missed the International Women's Forum (IWF) in Montego Bay last week is poorer for not getting the rich experience.

Jamaica hosted the best IWF Cornerstone Conference in the history of the organisation, as confirmed by the more than 400 women from 30 different nations who have placed their stamp of approval on the transformational event.

For three nights and two days (May 29-31), the Second City was transformed into a musical oasis as the IWF members ate, slept, dreamt and acknowledged, music - an instrument of change, launching a unique look inside an industry and art form that informs the development and advancement of business, politics and a society.

In her opening remarks at the conference that was held at Montego Bay's Convention Centre, IWF international president, Deedee Corradini, declared, "The under-represented of today will lead tomorrow."

Corradini's observations were the precursor to the words that flowed from the mouth of another powerful woman, Jamaica's first female prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller. She noted that it was a result of the positive feedback of the Jamaican music which influenced IWF to host its conference in the island.

Saluting female Jamaican artistes for their outstanding contributions to the music industry, Simpson Miller said the island's women have always participated fully in the music, which they used as a powerful vehicle of wealth creation.

Carradini's speech was the opening to the exchange of ideas and deliberations. It was the most unusual assembly to hear from some of the world's most storied musicians, creative artistes, and business and cultural leaders. It saw the likes of Marion 'Lady Saw' Hall, Marcia Griffiths, Etana, Patricia Ramsay, Lisa Hanna, Dr Donna Hope, Dr Carolyn Cooper, Sylvia Chrominska, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, Dr Marcia Forbes, Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater, Sheryl Lee Ralph, (who had the women in tears after she sang Jade Lee) and Rita Marley, converging on the Second City.

It was a soul-searching event that saw one of the daughters of this unique island nation - famed artiste and humanitarian Rita Marley - being honoured with the distinguished IWF award for 2013.

While the days were filled with enlightenment, music and more music, the nights were highlighted by the dine around at various Jamaican homes. Local IWF members opened their doors and hearts to their sisters and brothers from all walks of life.

With so many positives coming out of IWF 2013, Vancouver, Canada, where the event is being staged in 2014, will have a hard act to follow.

As Minister of Youth and Culture Lisa Hanna said, "Jamaica's music is the music which has had the most impact on the world and in many ways is a call to action that helped to drive political leaders to focus on the reality of the living and working conditions of people they represent".

She declared on the conference's closing day: "Our music is expected to be the platform on which the world will build its future generation of power. For our musicians and, indeed, all our people, led by our women, there is the need to understand that we are the revolution and the transformation."