With the beating of the drum, a traditional herald, and a somewhat untraditional reading of the National Pledge in dub, the campaign for the 2006 renewal of International Reggae Day got underway at the Pegasus Gardens in Kingston, which became the Reggae Cafe for the duration of the launch.

The project, now in its 9th iteration, has evloved from a one-day global acknowlegement of the power of reggae music to a multi-faceted celebration and cultural festival.
The activities begin on June 28 at Red Bones, with a screening of Jamaican short films in association with the local chapter of Women in Film & Television International.
Accompanying this presentation will be special tributes to cultural icons Miss Lou, Jimmy Cliff, Island records founder Chris Blackwell and groundbreaking filmmaker Perry Henzell.

The followinfg day will see the presentation of a Creative Industries Forum at the Hilton Kingston hotel. The forum, jointly produced by JAMPRO and Miribai Communications with Reggae Day producers Jamaica Arts Holdings will seek to maximise efforts to build, promote and manage Jamaican and Caribbean creative brands.

The highpoint of the year will be a Creative Industries Expo and concert finale at the National Golf Academy in New Kingston. The expo will showcase the best of Jamaican film, music, cuisine, literature, fashion, lifestyle products and services. The concert will see performances from the likes of Anthonty B, Diana King, Freddie Mcgregor, I-Wayne, Bushman, Leroy Sibblies, Teflon and others. Heather Shields of Digicel, sponsors of the festival, was closely involved with the project during its inception and declared that the mobile firm was committed to the development of Jamaica and to "the music which had generated - and continues to generate - tremendous capital and goodwill for us as a nation." Digicel, Shields said, would be providing wireless support for several of the Reggae Day activities.

Andrea Davis, who initiated the celebration through her Jamaica Arts Holdings venture said the festival is "an opportunity for Jamaicans to understand the importance of our culture globally and to acknowledge that with proper branding and promotion, the brand Jamaica will be even more lucrative."

The gathering also heard from Digital dubz.com, a company set up to provide dub plates to sound systems around the world via the Internet.

Roots reggae artiste Luciano performs during Wednesday night's launch of International Reggae Day 2006 at the Pegasus Gardens in Kingston. The Reggae Day activities will culminate with an all-star concert on July 1 at the C&W Golf Academy.

Veteran reggae impresario Copeland Forbes also gave a typically impassioned and anecdotal presentaton about the need for stakeholdes in the music and culture of the island to preserve and promote it. He also urged corporate Jamaica to get behind the Reggae Day venture and behind the music in general.

After the formalities, the launch saw performances from saxophonist Dean Fraser, blowing Jimmy Cliff's Many Rivers To Cross, the Mesenjah himself Luciano, as well as several up-and-coming artistes. A number of artistes were also featured in a video feature on Luciano and Jah Mesenjah band on their most recent tour.

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