[THS] Bob Marley's 60th Was A Moving Success!

[The Harder Stuff in news and commentary]

Bob Marley's 60th Was A Moving Success! 
  
  
12,000+ Joined us in Kingston--Millions on TV & Radio 

This is the newletter we sent out exactly 7 years ago today in 2005 after hosting Bob's 60th Earthday in Kingston. It still amazes me that the Jamaican government turned this milestone birthday of their favorite son over to Julia and I! Bob's message of One Love is growing and is even stronger today.
 
On Sunday Feb. 6, 2005 in downtown Kingston, Jamaica an overflowing crowd, plus millions more who joined us via every Jamaican TV station, many radio stations and the Internet, joined us to celebrate Bob's milestone birthday. The huge concert, called "Bob Marley-Natural Mystic:The Legend Lives On," was a collaborative effort of the Jamaican Government, the Bob Marley Foundation and our family. However, the concert was more than a celebration. It was a calling to Jamaica, and every person joining us, to claim their God-given destiny of teaching One Love in their lives. My address below explains the vision of Jamaica that we now share with many.
 
PERFORMERS: Abijah, Ernie Smith, Bunny Wailer, Culture, Mackie Conscious, Warrior King, Cherry Natural, Fab 5, Prezident Brown, Janieve & Robert Bailey, Junior Reid & The One Blood Family, Stitchie, Luciano, Fanton Mojah, DYCR, Nomadzz, Stella Maris Dance Troup, C Sharp, Mark Stephenson, Nexus Performing Group, L'Acadco Dance Troup, Toisis, and The Immaculate Conception Orchestra. SPEAKERS: Dr. Barry Chevannes, Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson, Women One Love Healers and the Roskind Family. EMCEES: Elaine Wint, Denise "Isis" Miller, Daniel Thompson & Richie B.

On stage: Bunny Wailer, Abijah, Mackie Conscious, Luciano, Robert, Alicia & Julia Roskind, Stephanie Marley


  
 
Bunny Wailor Was Aglow 

Greetings, my brothers & sisters, and welcome to Bob Marley's 60th birthday party. I want to thank all of the conscious artistes and speakers, and our many Jamaican supporters, for accepting our family's invitation and adding your voice to ours on this historic night. All have donated their time and energy for free, as a gift to their people. One Love, my brothers and sisters.

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
 
Joseph Hill & Culture Took Us Higher 

This event is a collaborative effort of the Jamaican Government, The Bob Marley Foundation and our family. I want to thank the JCDC, the Ministry of Education, Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson, Sydney Bartley, Hopeton Murray & Michael Nicholson for their tireless efforts to make this night possible. I want to thank the Stephanie Marley and the Bob Marley Foundation for joining their efforts with ours and for their keeping the music and message of Brother Bob vibrant and alive in the world for so long. And I want to thank the Jamaican Government for their collaboration and enlightened decision to re-instill Bob's message of One Love in the hearts and minds of your people. You have taken an historic step towards the healing of the nation.

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
 
Abijah sings "Revelation" 

We stand before you as a American family who first visited this mystical land 4 years ago and returned home with our faith in humanity refreshed. Through our contact with you, we were reminded of the healing power of love. We speak for the multitudes who have been profoundly touched by your people and your music.

Photo By Roy Sweetland


  
 
Ernie Smith Opened Everyone's Hearts 

Like many here, our family is not immune to suffering. I was born into a Jewish family immediately after the Holocaust. I was raised by an black woman in the pre-civil rights South. I had to flee my government's attempt to send me to fight an immoral war in Vietnam. Even our young daughter has not escaped the pain of a world out of balance. In the last 2 years she has buried 4 friends lost to suicide and alcohol and drug-related incidences. We are all here in pain together. And all of us here want, more than anything else, to love and be loved.

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
 
Prezident Brown Sings "To Jah Only" 

To millions worldwide, Jamaica is a guiding beacon of love and inspiration. Like others who visit your island and met your people or listen to your conscious One Love music, we see you quite differently than you may see yourself. We do not read your papers or watch your news everyday. We do not define you by the worst of your citizens but by your best. We do not define you by a few gunman and corrupt leaders but rather by the two and a half million citizens who get up each day and strive to lead a decent and righteous life often against great odds. We see you as a country that has risen above great suffering both in your past and present to offer the world a beautiful message of One Love--a message that the world very much needs right now. And if God's currency is love, we see you as one of the wealthiest countries in the world. We see your pledge that Jamaica may "play her part in advancing the welfare of the whole human race" not as a future promise but as a present reality
 . 


  
 
Mackie Conscious Sings "What If" 

This is our 54th One Love concert our family has organized in Jamaica. Along with Abijah and other conscious artistes, we have taken an invitation to your schools island-wide, especially your inner-city schools. Our invitation is simply this: join us in healing your lives individually and your country as a nation by claiming your God-given destiny to be a healer--a teacher of love--in your life. Get up each day and love and forgive as much as you can. As Bob Marley demonstrated, rise above the skepticism, the disillusionment, the hopelessness, the criticism, the negativity, and the anger and teach this One Love in your families, your schools, and your workplaces. 

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
 
Junior Reid & The One Blood Family 

God has not assigned any of us the task of ending all injustices and suffering in our countries. He has only asked that we do as much as we can in our own daily lives. No one alone can heal all of Jamaica but each one of us can heal our personal Jamaica, the small piece of Jamaica that the Creator has assigned to us. And we do this through our love, our kindness, and our compassion and mostly through our forgiveness as we forgive our enemies as the Master Teacher has asked us to do.

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
 
Jamaican Women Invite All Women To Join them as Healers 

We understand Jamaica is going through a difficult period. In reality my country and the entire planet is going through a difficult time as well. Great challenges call for new approaches, so along with the traditional solutions, let's try love. Let us see if humanity has evolved enough to heal itself with the love in the heart of its people. And no society is better prepared to undertake and succeed at such a noble endeavor than Jamaica. Bob Marley and other conscious artistes have planted the truth of love and justice deep into the heart and soul of every Jamaican.


  
 
Gospel Recording Artist Stitchie 

As Richie, the young man who washed windshields at the corner of Trafalgar and Hope Rd, showed us, each assignment is vital. Before his tragic murder, he got up each day and gave every motorist he encountered a loving vibe. The outpouring of love upon has death proves that every persons assigned path is important no matter how humble it may appear. Richie, in his sweet and simple way, may have done more to advance the consciousness of this island than many of its acknowledged leaders.

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
 
Warrior King Praising Jah 

So join us our brothers and sister. If you want a more peaceful Jamaica, become a more peaceful Jamaican. If you want a more loving Jamaica, become a more loving Jamaican. Claim yourself as a teacher of love. Keep your covenant with your Creator to love others as He has loved us. 

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
 
Dub Poet Cherry Natural 

We as individuals need to heal our lives through One Love. Jamaica as a nation needs to heal herself through One Love. And the world needs Jamaica to demonstrate the power of a people choosing unity over divisiveness, commitment over anger and love over fear. Jamaica heal yourself and let your motto become, Out of Many, One People. Out of One People, One Love,
Robert Roskind

Cherry Natural, Loraine & Elaine Wint


  
 
Bob's Daughter Stephanie with Family & Friends 

What's next? We have returned home to the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina where we await our next assignment. We'll keep you posted. What's your next assignment? Keep us posted too. One Love

Photo by Roy Sweetland


  
  
  
Alicia, Julia & Robert Roskind Authors of "Rasta Heart" & "The Gathering of the Healers" PO Box 2142 Blowing Rock, NC 28605 (828) 295-4610 roskind at boone.net www.onelovepress.com