Director-General strengthens ties with Guyana and Jamaica

Director-General strengthens ties with Guyana and Jamaica

For the first time in over two decades, a UNESCO Director-General visited Guyana and Jamaica, reaffirming the Organization’s commitment to the Caribbean region and placing people at the heart of international cooperation. During his mission to the region from 31 March to 3 April, Khaled El-Enany engaged not only with national leaders, but also with communities, youth and cultural actors, illustrating his vision of “UNESCO for the people”.

Guyana: culture and communities driving the orange economy

In Guyana, discussions with President Mohamed Irfaan Ali highlighted the country’s ambition to develop its “orange economy” as a pillar of sustainable growth. The Director-General reaffirmed the readiness of UNESCO to support this vision through cultural policies, education and heritage promotion, while also exploring opportunities for biosphere reserves and future World Heritage nominations. Beyond official meetings, the Director-General experienced Guyana’s cultural vitality firsthand, visiting local markets, the national museum and engaging with communities along the waterfront. These moments underscored the central role of people, traditions and everyday life in shaping sustainable development.

Jamaica: culture, education and resilience in action

In Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness reaffirmed UNESCO’s strategic partnership with the country, with a strong focus on culture as a driver of identity, cohesion and economic opportunity. Jamaica’s leadership in the creative economy and its commitment to heritage protection were highlighted, and Minister of Culture Olivia Grange presented the Director-General with the instruments of ratification of the 1970 Convention on illicit trafficking of cultural property. Education and youth engagement were also central to the discussions, including efforts to address disparities in boys’ education and strengthen skills development. The visit also provided opportunities for direct engagement with Jamaican society, from exchanges with students to meetings with leading cultural figures and women scientists supported by UNESCO programmes in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. These interactions reflected the transformative impact of UNESCO’s work at community level.

Climate Change as a development challenge

During his visit to both countries, the Director-General emphasized that climate change poses an urgent threat to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal communities, where rising seas, extreme weather, and ecosystem strain are daily realities. He highlighted how local knowledge, community engagement, and science must work together to build resilience, and noted the role of UNESCO biosphere reserves in protecting both livelihoods and biodiversity, ensuring that solutions are practical, sustainable, and rooted in people’s lives. In Jamaica, he discussed the impacts of Hurricane Melissa firsthand, meeting students, women scientists, and local communities to stress that climate adaptation is inseparable from education, culture, and social cohesion. As he wrote in an op-ed published in the Jamaica Gleaner: “Climate change is no longer only an environmental challenge. It is also a development challenge, a resilience challenge, and increasingly, a matter of human security.”

Putting people at the centre of cooperation

Across both countries, the visit illustrated a shared vision: that sustainable development must be rooted in culture, knowledge and the lived experiences of communities. From the dynamism of Guyana to the cultural and educational leadership of Jamaica, the Director-General reaffirmed the commitment of the Organization to working with and for people, turning global priorities into tangible local impact.

 Source : https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/director-general-strengthens-ties-guyana-and-jamaica?fbclid=IwY2xjawREu3RleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETF5cDRxdW1Ld0x5YjBENDhLc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHurQQhe1DGs2GKWT_B2LcAJW7zpxnvsTlR0ng1GRigYddxJn6xf5JxXvFpM3_aem_r2ZbqjdEVoIY2ozOOlzzlw