U.S. Department of State Awards JA$1.84 million to the Institute of Jamaica

KINGSTON- November 2, 2004  

The U.S. government has awarded the Institute of Jamaica a JA$1.84 million (US$29,885) to ensure the preservation of Jamaica's ethnographic artifacts including Taino slavery instruments, post emancipation tools, independence memorabilia, and contemporary artifacts. According to the Institute of Jamaica's proposal, the artifacts were "in danger of being seriously damaged and eventually destroyed by their environment" if they did not receive the funds to adequately protect and store them.   According to Ambassador Sue Cobb, "The United States supports the Institute of Jamaica's efforts to conserve and protect its valuable artifacts.  This work will raise local and international awareness and appreciation of Jamaica's unique, rich, and fascinating cultural heritage."

The award was allocated from the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), established in 2001 by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs to demonstrate the U.S.'s respect for other cultures by helping them preserve their cultural heritage.  To date, the fund has supported 155 projects worldwide for a total of U.S. $3 million.  

This year an educational outreach component was included as a requirement for all proposals, with particular attention to educating youth about their country's cultural heritage.  122 proposals for projects ranging from historic building preservation to rare manuscripts were submitted to the AFPC.  Of the 96 countries that submitted proposals, Jamaica was one of only 41 to receive an award.

 

The Institute of Jamaica's Museums of History and Ethnography will use the funds to support its project "Preventive Conservation of Historical and Ethnographic Objects."  To educate Jamaican school children and the community about the project, it will develop a small, permanent exhibition to demonstrate the process of storage and preventive conservation and its importance to Jamaica. The Institute of Jamaica's web site will include information on the project, its funding, and its progress.  Members of the Institute's staff will give regular talks about the project, and will create a series of brochures entailing collection preservation.