The International Authors Forum and CARICON (The Caribbean Literary, Culture and Heritage Organisation) are delighted to announce they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, cementing a collaborative relationship which will mutually advance each organisation’s aims and actions in giving positive support to Caribbean authors, ensuring their rights are upheld and that their ability to earn a living adequately reflects their importance to society and their role in sustaining the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Caribbean region.
In March this year IAF was represented by its member JAIKU (Jamaica), at the CARICON Poetry Slam in Curaçao, enabling it to make vital contact with the authors of the Dutch speaking Islands in the Caribbean and therefore to widen participation in its Caribbean Chapter. Now in its third year, the Chapter is an active regional working group of IAF, bringing together member organisations, organisations working towards membership, and individuals committed to defending authors’ rights and improving authors’ livelihoods across the Caribbean. It supports the development of authors’ organisations and strengthens regional solidarity, collective action and opportunities for better working conditions and fairer earnings.
IAF and Caricon’s work together aims to spread this message about the importance of collective action to as many Caribbean authors as possible, as well as ensuring they are informed about their copyright, and other rights which support them in their professional development. By building a strong foundation for organised groups of authors across the Caribbean, IAF and CARICON aim to strengthen their collective voice and advocate for policies that support authors’ economic sustainability and enable Caribbean talent to thrive in the region and beyond.
Steve Russell, Founder and Executive Chairman of CARICON, said, “This partnership represents another step toward building a stronger literary ecosystem for the Caribbean, one where our writers are not only creating the stories, but are also empowered to protect, manage, and benefit from the intellectual property they create.”
Their next joint activities include the CARICON Writers’ Retreat in Martinique in October and the IAF Caribbean Chapter’s online event, “The Writing Ecosystem,” in September, where CARICON founder Steve Russell will join the panel.
Kevin Fitzgerald, Secretary General of IAF, said, “Authors are the foundation of the creative industries. At the International Authors Forum we are very excited to be working more closely with CARICON to ensure that the voice of the Caribbean authors is heard in global debates about the future of the creative industries.”
Through this partnership, IAF and CARICON look forward to strengthening opportunities for Caribbean authors and ensuring that their voices, rights and creative contributions are recognised and valued both within the region and internationally.
