A new initiative to accord national hero status to reggae icon Robert Nesta Marley was launched on Tuesday when journalists gathered at the Bob Marley Museum on Hope Road, in Kingston, to hear plans for Marley's 60th anniversary celebrations in Jamaica and Africa (Ethopia).

Jacqueline Knight-Campbell, chief executive officer of Top Klass Event Management Consultancy, told the press launch that Dr Leachim Semaj had accepted the request to head an advisory board that will work towards the reggae superstar becoming a national hero. In addition, Semaj and his team will also be advocating for February 6, the birthday of the reggae superstar, to be declared a national holiday.

Dr Desta Meghoo-Peddie (left), managing director, Bob Marley Foundation; Dr Wykeham McNeil, Minister of State (second left) in the Ministry of Industry & Tourism; Juan Carlos Espinola, Resident Coordinator, UN Systems in Jamaica and Stephanie Marley at the international launch of Africa Unite and The Legend Lives On - a programme of events planned for Ethiopia and Jamaica respectively, in February 2005, in celebration of the 60th birthday of reggae icon Robert Marley.

"Part of our objective for the 60th birthday celebrations is that we'll identify an advisory board that will champion the cause of brother Bob (Marley) becoming a national hero, as well as his birthday becoming a national holiday," Knight-Campbell said.

"One of the visions that we want to achieve out of the 60th birthday celebrations is that the entire world recognise Bob (Marley) as the world's greatest music icon. Therefore the people of Jamaica must recognise that we need to move to another level of his achievements and of his recognition," she said to strong applause.

The communication specialist said that Dr Semaj's mandate is to recruit a cross-section of individuals who will work towards the entire process of Bob Marley receiving this recognition. She said the objective also is to create a worldwide campaign, not only a week of celebrations, but a year of celebrations.

Knight-Campbell, who is the coordinator for the Jamaican leg of the celebrations for the Bob Marley Foundation and the Rita Marley Foundation, also outlined plans for a massive block party on Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston to highlight the multi-faceted influences of Bob Marley on Jamaican culture.

"The evolution of Bob is so powerful that as a part of our celebrations we'll culminate with a signature event on Knutsford Boulevard where all of that influence will be rolled out. Fashion, food, art, music, upcoming artistes influenced by Bob Marley, international pop stars and the Rastafarian community will be all part of the celebrations," she said.

Knight-Campbell said schools will be running competitions, as well as symposiums where international partners will share what Bob Marley influences meant to them. In advancing her case for Marley to be accorded national hero status, she gave a synopsis of his achievements and international recognitions.

"Let me share with you briefly who this man, Bob Marley, is. In Jamaica he has the Order of Merit (OM), which is Jamaica's third highest honour, medal of peace from the United Nations, Artiste of the Century by Billboard Magazine, Diamond Award for Legend album, Exodus album chosen as the best album of the century by Time Magazine, One Love chosen as Anthem of the Millennium by BBC, Lifetime Achievement Award by National Academy of Recording Artistes, Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, introduction in National Black Voice and Entertainment Hall of Fame Film and Museum," Knight-Campbell said.

Speaking at the media launch, also, was managing director of the Bob Marley Foundation, Dr Desta Meghoo-Peddie, who gave an overview of the celebrations from the Ethiopian perspective.

"Little did Brother Bob know that he, too, would become a bridge. A bridge for cross-cultural communication, a bridge for social justice and a bridge for hope," Dr Meghoo-Peddie said.

"What we're doing in Ethiopia is beyond the concert and it's very important that we grasp that this morning," said Dr Meghoo-Peddie said, quoting the lyrics of Bob Marley's song Africa Unite which is the theme of the celebrations.

"In Ethiopia, we have a host of events that are going on...we have everything from photo exhibits to an all-African exhibit that features exhibits from every single country in the continent, as well as booths from the Caribbean, Brazil, United States and Europe," she said.

"We got an opening ceremony with dignitaries from around the world; Mother Booker, Bob Marley's mom, will do a special presentation and we got football clinics going into the communities.

Songs of Freedom, brother Neville Garrick, our art director will be facilitator, we got a symposium panel discussion for three days with the assistance from our partners, UNICEF, Amnesty International, the World Bank, the City of Addis Ababa, Save the Children and more..."

The symposium, Dr Meghoo-Peddie explained, will be discussing issues including HIV/AIDS; its impact on the community, education, and access to clean water.

"What the Bob Marley Foundation along with its partners will do, is to present to these organisations what our desire is for change and what we're willing to do."

She said there will also be a petition for peace, a film festival, book-reading, and launching of No Woman No Cry, the book written by Rita Marley about her relationship with her husband.

Dr Meghoo-Peddie said that the highpoint of the celebrations in Ethopia will be the concert, to be held at Mascoll Square on Bob Marley's birthday. The concert features Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, Yousou N' Dor, Teddy Afro, the Marley family, I-Three and much more.

"That place can hold over 900,000 people; we're expecting about three to 400,000 people, all to celebrate Robert Nesta 'Bob' Marley, the son of Jamaica's birthday and what he did for the world," she said.

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