KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaican Government will be collaborating with authorities in Miramar, Florida, to stage activities marking Reggae Month 2020 next February.
The month-long engagement, being spearheaded by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport was formally launched at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston on Tuesday. December 3, according to a Jamaica Information Services (JIS) release.
It will feature 29 days of live reggae music events on the island and the American city, under the theme “Come ketch de Riddim.”
Located in Broward County, Miramar is home to nearly two million residents, with a significant population of Jamaican nationals, and is deemed central to the diaspora in Southern Florida.
Among the notable individuals in this area is Miramar Vice Mayor, Alexandra Davis, a Wolmer’s Girls’ School and University of the West Indies (UWI) alumnus, who was a special guest at the Reggae Month 2020 launch.
Addressing the function, Ms. Davis said the city’s residents, particularly the Jamaican community, welcome the opportunity to participate in the festivities to further promote Brand Jamaica overseas.
“I feel very honoured to be able to be… somewhat of a reggae ambassador [for] the wider Jamaican diaspora and the wider community of Southern Florida and bring awareness to Reggae Month in February 2020,” she said.
She noted that several activities are scheduled, including a joint media launch of Reggae Month and Black History Month at the Miramar City Town Center Plaza, a Reggae Icons awards ceremony at the Miramar Cultural Banquet Centre, and a Reggae Movie Night at the Miramar Cultural Theater.
The month culminates with an Afro-Carifest at the Miramar Amphitheater, which will feature music from Jamaica, the wider Caribbean, and Africa.
“We look forward to co-hosting Reggae Month next February, and look forward to working with Minister (Olivia) Grange and other [stakeholders] in the City of Miramar and the wider South Florida community,” Ms. Davis said.
In her remarks, Ms. Grange welcomed the local and international stakeholder partnerships forged for the celebration.
The local partners include Jamaica Reggae Industry Association (JaRIA), Jamaica Association of Vintage Artistes and Affiliates (JAVAA), Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), and the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).
Ms. Grange said the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) inscription of Jamaica’s Reggae Music on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the World “confirmed what we already knew”.
“That is that reggae music is an international brand of expansive global reach, and Jamaica’s Reggae music has touched and continues to touch the lives of billions of people across the world,” she noted.
Local events planned for the 29-day Reggae Month festivities include a church service; ‘Children of the Icons’ concert series, featuring the offspring of some of the industry’s great performers; exhibitions; and a music industry conference.
