Jamaica’s Cultural Power Takes Centre Stage as UNESCO Urges More Value for Creators

UNESCO Regional Director and Representative for the Caribbean Eric Falt presented the organization’s perspective on the policy’s Green Paper to the Joint Select Committee of the Houses of Parliament.

Jamaica's music, language, fashion, literature and sport have reached audiences far beyond its shores, giving the country a cultural influence that stretches across generations and borders. Turning that recognition into lasting opportunities for Jamaican creators and communities was central to UNESCO's contribution to parliamentary discussions on the country's proposed National Policy for Culture, Entertainment and the Creative Economy 2025–2035.

UNESCO Regional Director and Representative for the Caribbean Eric Falt presented the organization's perspective on the policy's Green Paper to the Joint Select Committee of the Houses of Parliament. Chaired by Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the hour-long meeting offered UNESCO a rare opportunity to contribute directly to Jamaica's cultural policymaking and reached a wider national audience through a live broadcast on public television.

Turning Cultural Influence Into Local Opportunity

Falt welcomed the Green Paper's recognition of culture, entertainment and the creative economy as part of Jamaica's wider development, connecting creative activity with education, tourism, youth, employment, technology, intellectual property and the country's international identity. This approach places the cultural sector within decisions about how Jamaicans learn, earn a living and share their work with the world.

Describing Jamaica as an extraordinary cultural power, Falt introduced the concept of "mondialization" to explain how cultural expression rooted in a particular place can gain global significance. His presentation focused on the practical steps needed to turn that influence into sustainable national value, including stronger financing, skills, infrastructure, market access, intellectual property protection and coordination among institutions, with creators and communities retaining a greater share of the value their work generates.

Protecting Creators in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence emerged as a pressing issue for Jamaica's cultural and creative sectors, raising questions about how cultural material is used to train AI systems and whether creators receive recognition, compensation and protection for their rights. The discussion drew attention to the need to safeguard cultural expressions and knowledge as new technologies change how creative work is produced and distributed.

Falt highlighted the importance of enabling Jamaican creators to help develop new technologies and benefit from the value they generate, giving the country an active role in shaping this changing landscape. For a nation whose cultural influence extends around the world, these questions connect technology policy directly with ownership, livelihoods and the ability of communities to protect and develop their cultural expression.

Making the Policy Work for Communities

Implementation was presented as the next major challenge, with Falt emphasizing that Jamaica's cultural importance is already recognized internationally. The opportunity now lies in building a stronger system around that cultural wealth, one that keeps heritage alive, helps young people see creative work as a viable opportunity and gives creators greater ownership of the value they produce.

Technology and innovation should strengthen cultural expression, supported by institutions and resources that help translate policy commitments into practical benefits. The parliamentary engagement reinforced UNESCO's support for Jamaica as it develops the national policy, building on cooperation spanning World Heritage, intangible cultural heritage, the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, documentary heritage, biodiversity and biosphere reserves.