Jamaican Ambassador Curtis A. Ward, a Montgomery County resident, was laid to rest Saturday at Saint Andrew Apostle Catholic Church in Kemp Mill.
Ward, who represented Jamaica on the United Nations Security Council, died at his home on Jan. 18. He was an attorney and international consultant and former Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Jamaica to the United Nations with Special Responsibility for Security Council Affairs, serving on the UN Security Council from Jan. 1, 2000 to Dec. 31, 2001.
Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles Remembers Ward
“Ambassador Ward’s passing is a tremendous loss for the Jamaican diaspora, for Maryland, and for the global community,” said Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles, a first-generation Jamaican American.
“Ambassador Ward’s legacy reminds us of our shared responsibility to build bridges, strengthen community, and lead with purpose,” said Sayles. “We must continue this work in his honor.” Ward “inspired countless people, including myself, to believe in the transformative power of public service and in the enduring strength of our island’s motto, ‘Out of Many, One People.’”
Councilmember Sayles, whose parents emigrated from Jamaica, said she saw in Ambassador Ward “a model public servant whose work consistently uplifted Caribbean American voices across the United States.”
“Ambassador Ward’s legacy reminds us of our shared responsibility to build bridges, strengthen community, and lead with purpose,” said Sayles. “We must continue this work in his honor.”
Governor Moore Eulogizes Ambassador Ward
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore appointed Ward chair of the Maryland Caribbean Community Council. He spoke at Ward’s funeral.
“Ambassador Ward devoted his entire life to healing a broken world and showing us what right looks like—whether through his studies, his work as the Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, his work on the UN Security Council, or his commitment to cherishing and helping to lead not just a nation, but the world, toward something better. His fingerprints are on all of our lives.”
Moore, whose grandmother grew up in Jamaica, reminisced about how Ward “always left us inspired by his vision and kindness.”
Comments from Former Chair of Caribbean American Group
“Ambassador Curtis Ward was a proud son of Jamaica and a champion for the Caribbean region. He dedicated his life to service—uplifting, advocating, and shaping opportunities for others,” Venice Mundlee-Harvey, immediate past chair of the County Caribbean American Advisory Group, said in a news release.
“As a founding member of the Caribbean American Advisory Group to the Montgomery County Executive, he worked passionately to ensure that the Caribbean community in Montgomery County was seen, heard, and represented. His legacy of service and leadership will not be forgotten,” Mundlee-Harvey said.
Ward’s legacy will be remembered by Councilmember Sayles at an upcoming Montgomery County Council Caribbean Heritage Month celebration.
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