Ocho Rios, 2 June 2025 – The Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, has called on Jamaicans to return to traditional values to safeguard the vulnerable, including women and children.

The Minister was speaking at the Africa Day celebrations at Ocho Rios Primary School on Friday (May 30).

Minister Grange said: “We are a mighty race, resilient and strong. Today we must believe that. Today we must embrace that. And today we must return to the village raising the child.”

Africa Day in schools, now in the fourth year, is an initiative of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport and the Ministry of Education, Youth, Skills and Information aimed at strengthening and deepening our students’ appreciation of their African heritage.

The Minister encouraged the students to be proud of their race and called on the wider community to embrace the beliefs, norms, and practices of the ancestors in building Jamaica.

“Today, I invite you all to join me in a new campaign; a new crusade to resurrect the values of our ancestors. It is about caring for one another. It is about bringing back respect for our elders and care for our children. [It is] about passing our values to our children, reminding them that the strong must always protect the weak,” said Minister Grange.

Africa Day in schools was celebrated under the theme ‘Celebrating Africa: Up You Mighty Race — Resilient and Strong’.

The activities at this year’s feature school, Ocho Rios Primary, included displays on the culture and heritage of Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa as well as performances and fashion show featuring students and teachers.

There were also performances by students from Ocho Rios High School, Liberty Academy and Steer Town Academy as well as Duffus Performing Arts Group and the Charles Town Maroons.

The event was attended by His Worship the Mayor of St Ann’s Bay, Councillor Michael Belnavis; Member of Parliament for North East St Ann and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, the Honourable Mathew Samuda; as well as representatives of African missions in Jamaica.

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