February has been declared as Reggae Month by the Government of Jamaica and since 2008 the month has been used to highlight the role of reggae music and the impact of its philosophy on Jamaican culture, industry and society as well as the global impact of reggae.
The Jamaican High Commission in collaboration with Black Eagle Sounds and Sounds-of Edutainment will be co-hosting the first Reggae Seminar in South Africa on 20th February 2010 at the South African State Theatre in the City of Tshwane, from 9am to 12pm under the theme “Re-Examining the State of Reggae in South Africa: Challenges, Prospects and Opportunities in the 21st Century and its Linkages with the Diaspora.”
This event is being held in South Africa to coincide with the second biennial International Reggae Conference being convened by the University of the West Indies in Kingston from the 17th until the 20th of February 2010, under the theme "Current and Future Trends in Popular Music". Additional details on this Conference may be found at:
http://www.mona.uwi.edu/conferences/2010/irc/index.phpLocal and Regional Reggae artists will be invited to attend this august seminar, broadcasters, reggae selectors, promoters, non governmental and governmental institutions will be encouraged to attend this significant seminar, the first of its kind to be convened on African Soil .
The relationship between South Africa and Jamaica dates back in the pages of history; in essence both these countries are historically and culturally connected, and this timely reggae seminar will serve to increase mutual understanding and boost the relationship between the people of both countries.
