Kingston, 16 November 2020 (JIS) - A number of activities are being organised in observance of International Men’s Day (IMD) on Thursday, November 19 under the theme ‘A Man’s Health is a Man’s Wealth’.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Denzil Thorpe, said that a forum and presentation of Outstanding Father Award will be held at the The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m,

He was speaking at the IMD Church Service held on Sunday (November 15) at the Constant Spring Road Church of God, St. Andrew.

The event, organised by the Bureau of Gender Affairs (BGA), will include presentations on prostate cancer awareness, mental health and wellness, healthy sexual lifestyle practices, and updates on the Young Fathers Jamaica Initiative and the #mentorme2020 Male Mentorship Programme.

The Outstanding Father Award will honour men who are exemplary in their roles as fathers, mentors and role models.

The IMD event will also include the soft launch of the Exemplary Male Role Models 2021 Calendar. This is an initiative by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) in collaboration with the BGA.

At 7:30 p.m. that evening, the State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, will host a rap session via Instagram and Facebook platforms to speak on a range of topics, including men’s health and other psychosocial issues.

Mr. Thorpe said that the objective of the activities is to raise awareness about men’s health and physical well-being and to recognise their contribution as positive role models to the social, cultural and economic development of the Jamaican society.

The IMD celebration will be preceded by the reading of an IMD statement in Parliament on Tuesday (November 17) and the pinning of the symbolic white ribbons on Members of Parliament and Senators.

Mr. Thorpe said the BGA is committed to “supporting our men and boys here in Jamaica as well as those in the diaspora”.

“Through the special service desk for men, the BGA has hosted workshops, seminars and counselling sessions to promote positive images of men and boys, while addressing different aspects of manhood and fatherhood,” he added.
He said the sessions have helped to foster greater parenting skills and provided men with skills to play a more active role in the lives of their children and families.

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