ROSE HALL, St James – The inaugural staging of Tuff Gong International’s ‘One Love’ Music Festival kicks off on the lawns of the Rose Hall Great House in St James tonight with a charity gala reception featuring “Queen of Reggae” Marcia Griffiths and Benjy Myaz.

The festival climaxes tomorrow night with a live concert at the Aqueduct, also in Rose Hall, featuring a fusion of local and international acts such Akon, Sevyn Streeter, Kymani Marley, Julian Marley, Skip Marley and a host of local performers, including Morgan Heritage, Nadine Sutherland, Ikaya, Tessanne Chin, Jesse Royal, Iba Mahr and No-Maddz.

Ruff Kut will be the band on the stand to back the performers which also include Kranium, CK, Devin Di Dakta, D’Burnz and Sabrina the Diva.

The festival is a fundraising event to celebrate Bob Marley’s life and legacy by supporting life-changing projects in education, the environment and poverty relief through the Bob Marley Foundation, in partnership with the Rose Town Foundation and Sandals Foundation.

The event is being staged under the direction of CEO, Cedella Marley, daughter of the late reggae icon.

“Dad always instilled that, with hard work, we can accomplish anything. The ‘One Love’ Music Festival is a way to continue to spread his message and help empower people to achieve great things,” she commented.

“We are bringing together a great fusion of contemporary and seasoned musical talents to provide an explosion of entertainment and enjoyment for persons of all age groups, while sharing a message of positivity and empowerment.”

Michael Rollins, president of Rollins Jamaica, expressed pleasure to be associated with the event.

“Rose Hall is pleased to celebrate the life of Bob Marley not just with amazing music which represents what he stood for, but with the meaningful work our foundations will do with funds raised through these events. This passion for the Jamaican people is truly the heart of Rose Hall,” Rollins remarked.