A vibrant symposium on January 9, 2025, at The UWI Regional Headquarters unveiled a bold vision for an Institute for Maroon and Indigenous Studies. This groundbreaking hub aims to illuminate the rich legacy and enduring spirit of Jamaica’s Maroon and Indigenous peoples, marking a pivotal moment in the Caribbean’s cultural history. Vice- Chancellor Beckles championed the initiative: “The UWI has a moral duty to facilitate not just resilience but the opportunity for the Jamaica Maroons to thrive,” he declared, underscoring the university’s commitment to Maroon scholarship and advocacy. The Institute will unite researchers, Maroon elders, and cultural advocates to amplify Maroon voices and preserve ancestral knowledge, ensuring these stories shape Jamaica’s future.

The symposium was part of an initiative by the CARICOM Reparations Commission to amplify advocacy for Reparatory Justice and defend the rights of Maroons and other Indigenous communities. Dr Hilary Brown, the Programme Manager for Culture and Community Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, underscored this mission in her opening remarks, stating that “the Maroons are among the region’s indigenous peoples who are due reparatory justice and have a right to development. Their issues, concerns and rights must be respected and amplified within the regional movement for reparatory justice.” In furtherance of this advocacy for Indigenous Communities, a proposal to develop an Institute for Maroon Studies was presented to the University Council for approval in May 2025.