BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, MARCH 12TH 2013 (CUOPM) – The Federation’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States, Her Excellency Mrs. Jacinth Henry-Martin will speak at the annual WETATi International Women’s Conference later this month.
Her speech which is titled “The Importance of Embracing African-Caribbean Heritage in the Diaspora,” fits into her image as a cultural connoisseur.
According to the Nigerianvoice.com the conference which will take place in Linthicum, Maryland on March 29 and 30, is also attracting hundreds of internationally renowned speakers.
WETATi stands for Women Empowered To Achieve The Impossible.
Ambassador Henry-Martin, who is also accredited to the Organization of American States, will keynote the breakfast session of the conference.
She is a storyteller, poet, songwriter and dramatist, who wrote the winning composition in the Caribbean Broadcasting Union Song Festival in Havana, Cuba. She was also the first national Calypso queen. In 2003, she published an anthology of poems titled “Dancing in Bondage.”
She speaks three languages and is a strong proponent of closer cultural and economic cooperation between Africa and the Caribbean.
She was also the first female to be elected to Parliament on the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party ticket and went on to become Minister of Information, Youth and Culture.
Ambassador Henry-Martin was also Parliamentary Secretary and Deputy High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
She oversaw the successful staging of the 7th Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFEST) in 2000 and the UNESCO Caribbean Youth Gathering for Peace in 2002.
In February 2011, she was appointed St. Kitts and Nevis’ first female Ambassador to the United States with concurrent accreditation to the Organization of American states.
“Jacinth Henry-Martin is an accomplished diplomat and a cultural icon,” said Dr. Leonard Madu, President of the Nashville based African Caribbean Institute and Roving Ambassador of WETATi 2013.
He adds: “Her presentation will enrich the conference tremendously.”
St. Kitts and Nevis is the smallest sovereign State in the Americas, both in population and area of land.
Its economy is dependent on tourism. Over 500,000 tourists visit the country annually. However, it has developed a successful apparel industry and one of the largest electronics assembly industries in the Caribbean.
St. Kitts and Nevis also has a unique Economic Citizenship Programme. St. Kitts and Nevis is a member of CARICOM and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
“We are looking forward to establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with St. Kitts and Nevis and taking the message of women empowerment to the country”, said Margaret Dureke, founder and President of WETATi.