On the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the birth of Jean Price-Mars, the Permanent Delegation of Haiti to UNESCO pays tribute to this illustrious figure of Haitian intellectual, cultural, and diplomatic life, whose work continues to inform reflection on identity, memory, and cultural diversity.

Physician, ethnologist, writer, educator, and diplomat, Jean Price-Mars profoundly influenced the history of Haitian thought. Through his major work, Ainsi parla l’Oncle (Thus Spoke Uncle), he contributed to the rehabilitation of popular traditions, African heritage, and the cultural expressions that constitute national identity, affirming their rightful place in the universal heritage.

A precursor of the indigenist movement and an intellectual figure who influenced the concept of Negritude, Jean Price-Mars championed a conception of culture based on the recognition of historical legacies, the dignity of peoples, and respect for their uniqueness.

The significance of this legacy was also recognized at the 43rd session of the UNESCO General Conference, which approved the proposal to include the 150th anniversary of Jean Price-Mars’s birth in the calendar of anniversaries that the Organization could participate in for the period 2026-2027.

This recognition testifies to the importance given to the contribution of Haitian figures to the world’s intellectual and cultural heritage. It echoes the ideals upheld by UNESCO, particularly the safeguarding of cultural heritage, the promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions, and dialogue among civilizations.

On this commemorative date, the Permanent Delegation of Haiti to UNESCO salutes the universal significance of Jean Price-Mars’s legacy and reaffirms its commitment to the preservation, transmission, and promotion of Haiti’s historical and cultural riches for present and future generations.

As part of the 150th anniversary of his birth, the Haitian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, under the auspices of the Ministry of National Education and in consultation with the National Agency for Higher Education and Scientific Research (ANESRS), is organizing a commemorative day on Friday, October 30, 2026, in a hybrid format.

Under the theme "Thus Spoke Uncle" this event, celebrating memory, identity, and national pride, aims to honor the intellectual and cultural legacy of Jean Price-Mars. The organizers invite students, teachers, researchers, and the general public to join in this tribute.

As part of this commemoration, Emmanuel Ménard, the Minister of Culture, delivered a message for the occasion:

Message from the Minister of Culture :

"I salute the 150th anniversary of the birth of this immense intellectual, founder of the National Bureau of Ethnology, who, through his genius, imprinted a distinctive character on Haitian culture by freeing it from the Bovaryism that stifled it. Elected in 1956 in Paris, President of the first Congress of Black Writers and Artists, he is considered the initiator of the indigenist movement. By creating the Jean Price Mars National Prize for Haitian Thought, the Ministry of Culture and Communication, which I have the honor of leading in the Fils-Aimé Government, pays tribute to this great ethnologist and intends to highlight his invaluable contribution to the flourishing of national culture, a unique marker of our people’s identity."

IH/ iciHaiti