This year’s theme is “Celebrating 30 Years Of Riddims & Resistance”.
By Hope Ibiale
The organisers of the International Reggae Day celebration have released the itinerary for the popular event. This year, the BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress (BBM/BMC), the UK convener of the annual International Reggae Day (IRD) global celebration of Jamaican musical culture, is not only organising events across London, but is also working with the Ghanaian environmental group Eco-Conscious Citizens and Reggae artiste, Rocky Dawuni, to take up the IRD Plant A Tree Challenge, by planting The Reggae Tree Accra in Accra.
2024 marks the 30th anniversary of IRD, which began in Jamaica. It was inaugurated by Andrea M. Davis of Jamaica Arts Holdings. This year’s theme is “Celebrating 30 Years Of Riddims & Resistance”. Some of the events scheduled to be held at the ceremony include music shows by the Chaaawaaa Radio crew and the Shining Stars Entertainment live show that will feature Chucky Bantan and Audrey Scott. There will also be a Reggae album covers exhibition in Harlesden Library.
The work of the late producer Sonny Roberts and that of his contemporary counterpart Neil ‘Mad Professor’ Fraser will be examined. There will also be presentations looking at Reggae and racism, Afriphobia, dementia, gospel and women’s issues. The event will end with the launch of the three-month Brent Reggae Album Covers Exhibition.