« Here comes the Gospel Evangelist | Main | Jah Cure thrilled fans in Trinidad »
December 17, 2007
February to be declared Reggae Month
By: Joseph Cunningham
The Government of Jamaica is to declare February Reggae Month, according to Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, Minister of Information, Culture, Youth and Sports. She was speaking at the launch of the Reggae Academy Awards held recently at the Hilton Kingston Hotel.
"I really want to say to you that the Government will be announcing, at the highest level, a declaration of February as "Reggae Month" and it will be announced and presented in a manner that will impact not only in Jamaica but across the world," she stated.
The Recording Industry of Jamaica (RIAJ), will host activities covering the entire month of February, highlights of which will include a three-day reggae film festival, the Africa Unite concert and documentary.
According to Minister Grange, the film festival is intended to be the
foundation of Jamaica's film academy that will archive films for research, screening and education.
Scheduled to run from February 15th to the 17th, the film festival will feature movies that have reggae music as the subject, storyline or content; focusing on film as an aspect of Jamaica's music culture," she said. Minister Grange added that the festival will be co-ordinated by journalist/cultural activist Barbara Blake Hannah, who was responsible for co-ordinating Jamaica's first film festival in the 1970s.
Further, she said, "The interesting thing about February of next year, is that there will be a number of other activities taking place during that month. And I'm encouraging as many organizations, companies and
individuals to plan your activities around that month to enhance and to complement the other activities that are now being announced."
The minister also highlighted a special event to be co-hosted by Chris Blackwell and Rita Marley at Strawberry Hill on February 6, the anniversary of the birth of late reggae legend Bob Marley.
Grange announced that the Africa Unite film and concert will be presented by the Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, at James Bond Beach in Oracabessa.