Jamaican Poetry Festival Honors Culture and Art

Jamaica has celebrated the country's leading poets, performers and literary figures at the seventh annual Jamaica Poetry Festival.

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Poet Mervyn Morris was among those honored, receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to literature.

Although Morris was absent from the ceremony, his colleague, Clinton Hutton, accepted the award on his behalf.

During the award ceremony, under the theme “The Poetree Feast,” guests from the United States and Africa performed, including singer and songwriter Asante Amen and South African performer Jessica Mbangeni. Each performance provided a different view on Jamaica and its relationship with the world.

During intermission, patrons were invited to view and purchase natural products made in Jamaica, as well as books written and published by some of Jamaica's great literary figures.

This year’s festival also paid special tribute to Delroy Gordon, a former executive director of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission, who was instrumental in the growth and development of the Jamaica Poetry Festival.