Former Jamaican Ambassador Curtis A. Ward To Be Remembered In Maryland

News Americas, WASHINGTON, D.C., Tues. Jan. 20, 2026: A memorial service to celebrate the life of former Jamaican ambassador to the United Nations, Curtis A. Ward, will be on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Late Jamaican AMBASSADOR CURTIS WARD

Ambassador Ward, who made Montgomery County his home, passed away on January 11 at the age of 76. He was widely respected as a diplomat, attorney, academic, and tireless advocate for Caribbean diaspora communities in the United States.

Ward served as Jamaica’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations and represented the country on the UN Security Council from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2001. During his diplomatic career, he traveled to more than 30 countries on behalf of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, engaging with heads of government and senior officials on counter-terrorism capacity building and international security cooperation.

In 2023, Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland, appointed Ward as chair of the Maryland Caribbean Community Council. In that role, Ward received a Governor’s Citation for his work elevating the contributions of Caribbean immigrants and their descendants across the state.

Montgomery County Council at-large member Laurie-Anne Sayles described Ward as a source of inspiration. In a statement, she said he encouraged her “to believe in the transformative power of public service and in the enduring strength of our island’s motto, Out of Many, One People.”

BORN

Born and raised in Treasure Beach on Jamaica’s south coast, Ward later moved to Washington, D.C., where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Howard University. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Howard University School of Law and a Master of Laws from Georgetown University Law Center.

Ward practiced immigration and business law in Washington, D.C., for nearly two decades, operating his own firm and working with the Law Offices of Gabriel J. Christian and Associates. He was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar in 1978 and to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in 1980.

Beyond law and diplomacy, Ward was deeply engaged in academia. He served as an adjunct professor in the Homeland Security Graduate Program at the University of the District of Columbia and as an adjunct professorial lecturer at George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs. He also guest-lectured internationally, including in Jamaica, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ghana.

An international consultant, Ward advised organizations including the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and multiple governments and non-governmental organizations. He also founded The Ward Report, through which he wrote extensively on Caribbean and global policy issues.

Ward served as chairman of the Caribbean Research and Policy Center, a Washington-based think tank, and remained active in leadership roles throughout Jamaican and Caribbean diaspora communities nationwide.

“Curtis Ward worked passionately to ensure that the Caribbean community in Montgomery County was seen, heard, and represented,” said Venice Mundlee-Harvey, past chair of the Montgomery County Caribbean American Advisory Group. “His legacy of service and leadership will not be forgotten.”

A memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, January 24, at St. Andrew Apostle Catholic Church, located at 11600 Kemp Mill Road, Silver Spring, Maryland.