DANIELLE Pater, promoter/artistic director of Reggae Geel music festival, and Guy Sevrin, Belgium’s Ambassador to Jamaica, recently visited the Alpha Institute in Kingston.

A donation of 2,000 Euros was made to the school (formerly Alpha Boys’ Home) where many of Jamaica’s top musicians were nurtured.

“It is important that young students in Jamaica get a good education in developing their musical skills. Many of those students or former students have performed at Reggae Geel festival and will in the near future,” said Pater.

Trombonist Don Drummond, saxophonist Tommy McCook and drummer Leroy ‘Horsemouth’ Wallace are some of the musicians who attended Alpha.

This is the 39th edition of the annual Geel festival, held in the city of Geel. The two-day event is the most enduring on Europe’s summer reggae calendar.

Pater was in Jamaica to contract artistes for this year’s show, scheduled for August 4–5.

She accompanied Servin and Johan Graux, Consul of Belgium, to Paint Jamaica, a group of mural artists located on Fleet Street in downtown Kingston.

They received a donation of 500 Euros.

Sevrin and Johan Graux, Consul of Belgium, were impressed by the art and images of the group which got started in Juy 2014.

“There are many similarities between art and music. They have an instant connection, they speak the same language. And therefore, Reggae Geel also added an art programme to their festival where they invite young Jamaican artiste to expose their art skills,” said Servin.