The Reggae Tree Accra was planted at the KB Asante Memorial Park in Nmai Dzorn on July 1 to mark the first official International Reggae Day (IRD) commemoration.
Organised by the Eco-Conscious Citizens environmental group in partnership with International Reggae Day UK convener BBM/BMC (BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress), representatives of the Nmai Dzorn traditional family, Adentan Municipality, and the Jamaican consulate officially planted trees as a symbolic nod to IRD’s Plant A Tree Challenge.
The tree planting took place while Rocky Dawuni’s ‘Shade Tree’ song played. Dawuni, a multi-Grammy Award-nominated reggae and Afro roots musician and a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa, was supposed to lead the tree planting. Unfortunately, due to work commitments in the US, Dawuni, who is the International Reggae Day Ghana Ambassador, had a video message for the ceremony’s attendees.
‘The symbolism of planting this tree is not only in the act, it is about our intentions,” said Dawuni. “So today, let’s all put our intentions into this act of putting a tree on Earth, that is going to survive for generations.”
IRD, which is a global celebration of Jamaican reggae and culture on July 1, was started by Andrea M Davis of Jamaica Arts Holdings in 1994. The inspiration came from a speech Winnie Mandela made in Kingston in 1991 to Jamaican women, crediting reggae music with uplifting the people of South Africa in their fight to end apartheid. It affirms the unbreakable bond between South Africa and Jamaica, which is celebrating 30 years of post-apartheid democracy. Hence, this year’s IRD theme is ‘Celebrating 30 Years Of Riddims & Resistance’. Additionally, Jamaica was the first country to ban goods from apartheid South Africa in 1959.
In a video statement, Davis explained: “The International Reggae Day Tree Planting Challenge was inspired by Kenyan activist Wangarĩ Maathai, the first African woman and the first environmentalist to win the Nobel Peace Prize.”
The KB Memorial Park is a private green space being developed by Eco-Conscious Citizens’ founder, Awula Serwah, to serve the built-up Nmai Dzorn and surrounding environs. It now claims to be ‘The Home of The Reggae Tree Accra.’
“Trees are vital to our health and wellbeing. And the International Reggae Day Plant A Tree Challenge is an excellent initiative that encourages tree planting around the globe,” added Awula Serwah.
During the event, representatives of the Nmai Dzorn traditional family and the Adentan Municipality also launched a plastic bottle recycle bank to raise awareness of Plastic Free July, which is a global movement that encourages individuals to reduce their single-use plastic consumption for the month of July. The group is asking stores to give their customers the choice of buying non-plastic reusable bags, instead of the free, throw-away single-use plastic bags.
BACKGROUND
Eco-Conscious Citizens is an environmental advocacy group working towards a clean, green, healthy and serene environment. It was founded by 2020 MIPAD (Most Influential Person Of African Descent) Heroes Of Climate Action award winning environmentalist Awula Serwah.
BBM/BMC (BritishBlackMusic.com/Black Music Congress) promotes British black music, and music industry knowledge and networking. It was founded in 2002 by Kwaku the UK convener of IRD (International Reggae Day) and planted The Reggae Tree in 2018 in Harlesden, Brent – the capital of reggae in Britain.
Rocky Dawuni is a multi-Grammy Award nominated reggae and Afro roots musician and a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa, and a UN Foundation Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance.
IRD (International Reggae Day) is a global celebration of Jamaican music and culture on July 1. The Reggae Tree is a symbolic nod to IRD’s Tree Planting Challenge.
KB Asante Memorial Park is named after the late Ghanaian statesman and columnist. It’s a private park being developed by Awula Serwah in Nmai Dzorn in Greater Accra, near the Melcom superstore (https://bit.ly/KBAsanteMemorialParkMapLink + image below). When it officially opens, it will aim to provide a green and serene environment for the citizens in the heavily built environs in and outside Nmai Dzorn.
