Africa Unite - Smile Jamaica 2010

February 6, 2010 marks the 65th earth-day of the Honourable Robert Nesta Marley OM (Bob Marley). As part of the annual celebrations the Bob Marley Foundation and Rita Marley Foundation will host a three (3) day Youth Symposium. Similar Youth Symposiums have been held in Ethiopia, Ghana and Jamaica in prior years.

In 2010 the Symposium will be held on Thursday, February 4–Saturday, February 6 at the Bob Marley Museum. We look forward to having fifty (50) youth between the ages of 14–19 participate in this event. This activity would commence at 9 AM and end at 3 PM on February 4 and February 5; on February 6 the youth will be taken to Nine Miles for a visit to the Bob Marley mausoleum and to attend the Smile Jamaica concert.

The event seeks to bring together youth from various socio-economic, cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds for the following reasons:

  1. Strengthen the work and the will of our people to secure a peaceful future.
  2. Explore solutions to the devastating commercialization of our culture and history.
  3. Discuss and provide realistic solutions to negative events and challenges that impact the youth, their environment, countries and the world.
  4. Demonstrate the universality of Bob Marley’s lyrics.
  5. Empower the youth through increased knowledge and experience.

Since there has been an increase in anti-social behaviour among the youth, we have decided upon the theme “Crime Don’t Pay—Unity Brings Prosperity” for the Symposium. The Social Development Commission (SDC) has assured us that it will select 50 youth to attend the event. UNESCO will identify and select youth delegates from each of the following countries to attend: Antiqua & Barbuda, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, St. Kitts & Nevis and Trinidad & Tobago.

Key note speakers include : Ziggy Marley, Dr. Donna Hope, Dr. Leahcim Semaj.

Carried out with the technical and financial support of the UNESCO Kingston Cluster Office for the Caribbean.

For more information related to Smile Jamaica 2010 see the links below.

  1. Biographies of keynote speakers:
    1. Ziggy Marley ( 207 KB)
    2. Dr. Donna Hope ( 88 KB)
    3. Dr. Leahcim Semaj ( 140 KB)
  2. Youth Symposium Agenda ( 97 KB)
  3. Rita Marley Foundation Newsletter

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