The Caribbean & China In The Time of COVID-19

(11:00 p.m. China Standard Time; 11:00 a.m. Guyana, Barbados , Toronto Time; 10:00 a.m. Jamaica Time)

In a little over two months, the outbreak of a novel coronavirus (since dubbed COVID-19) in China's Hubei Province has developed into a full-fledge global pandemic. Within China, measures were implemented to restrict domestic movement of the country's massive population and to keep people at home in order to curtail the spread of the virus. However, despite the closure of national borders by many nations, the virus has spread to almost every corner of the world, including the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Caribbean region. Nations have taken differing degrees of action to tackle the public health crisis, but most have led to significant disruption to regular life.

The economic consequences of the outbreak have been particularly acute for the cultural and creative sector. Many scheduled cultural events in the Caribbean and around the world have been cancelled or postponed indefinitely. However, there has also been an upsurge in the use of innovative channels for bringing cultural products to audiences, and the use of creative products to transmit important information on the virus to the general public.

The central role that social media platforms have played in disseminating a wide range of information on COVID-19 can not be understated. While used by international and local public health authorities to convey pertinent advisories and updates on epidemic control measures, social media platforms have also facilitated the spread of dangerous xenophobic disinformation relating to the virus.

It is in this context we will hold our online discussion on "The Caribbean & China in the Time of COVID-19", inviting panelists from the Caribbean and China to:

• Provide their views on the global response to the COVID-19 outbreak and lessons that can be learned from China's response to the same:
• Share their experiences in dealing with the outbreak in their various localities and the impact that social distancing measures have had on their daily routines:
• Look at the impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on the cultural and creative sector, as well as innovative measures adopted by the industry during this time to meet audiences:
• Analyse the role that social media has played in informing the public's views on the virus;
• Dissect the framing of the outbreak as a "Chinese virus" and the role that people to people exchanges can play in countering this type of disinformation in the future:
• Propose recommendations for Caribbean creatives and for furthering people to people understanding between the peoples of the Caribbean and China during the current outbreak.