Geneva, Switzerland – Shrieks of delight, shouts of “Allez” and intermittent applause accompanied the MC’s announcement of each winning tombola or raffle ticket. Of some 120 partygoers enjoying the recent Jamaica Association soirée in the Swiss city of Geneva, many waited to see whether they too had won a bottle of red Appleton Jamaican rum, Red Stripe beach towels, flour-bag shorts or a Bob Marley CD.
As the DJs from Lausanne spun several types of dance music, patrons of the third annual Jamaica Association in Switzerland (JAS) fete alternately swelled and sprinkled the dance floor. However, one Swiss man was a constant on the dance floor, maintaining an excited vibe throughout no matter which song was playing. The soirée featured musician Ras Kenyatta of Lausanne and singer Ras Charmer of Zurich, spreading universal messages of peace and unity among Jamaicans in their Swiss communities. The fare included jerked chicken, rice and peas and stewed peas, washed down with Red Stripe Beer. ethusiastically received
Efforts to acquire educational materials for students of rural Jamaican schools are continuing with this recent staging of the fete, and the JAS remains especially dedicated to the promotion of Jamaican culture in Switzerland and the advancement of the educational system in Jamaica. The first JAS fete was held near Geneva in May 2005 and was followed by a presentation of computing materials and a public address system to Holland High School in Trelawny.
The Association is a non-profit organization founded two years ago to promote cultural exchange between Jamaicans and the Swiss. Efforts are underway to improve its newly launched web site: www.jamaicaassociation.ch. As current membership stands at only about 40, the JAS is poised for growth. From time to time the Association seeks the advice of specialised individuals outside the organization, who share an interest in promoting the organization’s goals.
Contact : Gillian Lewis Whylie
The Jamaica Association in Switzerland
c/o The Permanent Mission of Jamaica in Geneva
36 Rue de Lausanne, 1201 Geneva
tél : +41 22 917 57 99 ; +33 675 23 35 95
www.jamaicaassociation.ch
[email protected]
