In June 2004, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade hosted a Jamaican Diaspora Conference. This conference brought together 250 Jamaicans from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Canada and Jamaica, to discuss developments in their home country as well as issues affecting Jamaicans at home and abroad. One of the many positive developments coming out of the Jamaican Diaspora Conference was the formation of Jamaican Diaspora Groups in the UK, USA and Canada and the declaration of June 16 each year as Jamaican Diaspora Day.

In 2004 The Jamaican Diaspora UK was formed and since then, the Group has been working tirelessly in all regions across the country to develop an appropriate structure, to create awareness and encourage the participation of the Jamaican community throughout the UK.

In June 2005 a series of events were held throughout the UK to launch the Jamaican Diaspora UK and celebrate “Jamaican Diaspora Day 2005”.

On 1 April 2006 the first Jamaican Diaspora UK Conference was held in the West Midlands, UK. This was an historic event for the Jamaican community in the UK. The conference received over 800 Jamaicans and friends of Jamaica from across the UK to discuss issues that are pertinent to Jamaicans in the UK and at home.

One key outcome of the conference was to convene a Jamaican Diaspora UK Conference every two years, in order to alternate our conference with the Diaspora Conference in Jamaica, which will next be held in 2008. We are pleased that the Jamaican Diaspora UK will be hosting the second Jamaican UK Conference and we extend an invitation to all Jamaicans to be a part of this exciting event.