Barbados’ heritage was recently acknowledged on the world stage with Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison now included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Wednesday August 15, 2012 – Government leaders, officials, educators and travel/tourism professionals from around the world will gather in Barbados next month for the eighth annual African Diaspora Heritage Trail Conference (ADHT), an event geared to bring renewed focus on the rich histories of the African Diaspora and its lasting impression on the Caribbean.

The September 17-19 conference, which is designed to create a deeper understanding of the world's global ties, will also highlight Barbados’ cultural roots in the transatlantic slave trade.

Coordinated by the Barbados Ministry of Tourism, this year’s conference is themed Our Heritage, Our Identity: Uncover, Recover, Discover. It will focus on the development of one unified cultural heritage initiative to conserve the essence of African descent across global borders.

The event will also showcase the Barbados Slave Route Heritage Trail - Freedom Footprints: The Barbados Story, which illustrates Barbados' commitment to preserving the histories and heritage of the African Diaspora.

The keynote speaker at the ADHT conference will be Sir Hilary Beckles, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI).

According to Valerie Marshall, Product Integration Manager with the Barbados Tourism Authority (BTA), “Barbados in particular should benefit tremendously from hosting this conference. Apart from providing hospitality for around 400 extra people, the island will also receive aid in developing a strong cultural heritage component for its tourism, aimed especially at attracting visitors from within the Diaspora.  This could in turn result in mutually beneficial business relationships.”

The ADHT conference originated in Bermuda as a cultural heritage tourism initiative. It has since been endorsed by the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).