IRD celebrates 30 years of riddims and resistance

International Reggae Day (IRD) 2024 is marking its 30th anniversary by ‘Celebrating 30 years of Riddims & Resistance’ on July 1.

Marking three decades of celebrating the power and impact of Jamaican music culture globally, this 30th anniversary milestone for International Reggae Day will honour the legacy of its contribution to the culture since its 1994 inception and importance of Reggae’s contribution to resistance movements globally.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, IRD2024 will highlight the importance of reggae to the fight against Apartheid in South Africa and the unbreakable bond between Jamaica and South Africa which is mirrored by the unbreakable bond between International Reggae Day and its original inspiration, South Africa’s Mama Winnie Mandela.

IRD2024 will feature a dynamic hybrid experience, connecting local and global audiences through physical and virtual events and activities. Event partners from Jamaica, South Africa, US, UK and Colombia, along with media partners from Argentina to Zimbabwe, will join forces to celebrate of the power and impact of Jamaican music culture.

The annual July 1 global simulcast pullup will honour Bob Marley with his One Love anthem, Dennis Brown with his anthem, Here I Come, and Morgan Heritage anthem, Reggae Bring Back Love, in tribute to Peetah Morgan.

Building on a visionary blueprint that seeks to harness the power of music, media and technology, Reggae Day was pioneered in the pre-Internet era, laying the groundwork for a global movement. As the world wideweb revolutionised the digital landscape in 1996, Reggae Day evolved into International Reggae Day, amplifying its reach and impact, and solidifying its role as a beacon for unity, creativity and cultural expression.

In addition to physical events from parties to a drone show, plans for this year’s hybrid experience will include two featured virtual events to be hosted at ireggaeday.com on July 1, panel exploring reggae’s impact on resistance movements around the world including the fight against apartheid in South Africa and a webinar on ‘AI and the Cultural and Creative Industries’.

Details of these and other activities planned for July 1 will be shared on IRD website and social platforms @ireggaeday on IG, FB and X.