The Consulate celebrated Jamaica 55th Independence Day during 13th Rock Village Festival on August 11th and 12th this year.

The festival and celebration were held in village of Banatski Sokolac, some 80 km from Belgrade. The venue was appropriate as the festival and the village itself became famous in Serbia and abroad in 2008 after a statue of late Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley was erected. Since this statue is the only one in Europe the village is quite known to all Jamaica lovers and Bob Marley fans.

The activities of celebration included music, promotion of Jamaican culture, tourism and products and also had a humanitarian character.

The main event of the first night of the Festival was Jamaican musician Lutan Fyah with his band who performed on main stage and actually started his European tour by celebrating Jamaica 55th Independence Day in Serbia. His performance was very well received by the audience and several Jamaican flags were seen in the audience.

The celebration was announced by the host of the festival a number of times on the main stage which was received with a warm and welcoming applause by several thousand people in the audience.

Consulate had a stand and we were promoting Blue Mountain coffee, Jamaican rum and other Jamaican items. Stand was decorated with big “Jamaica 55th” sign and some items from the Consulate. It was very well visited. Visitors of Jamaican stand could collect free brochures about Jamaica and its tourist attractions.

Jamaican students as well as their friends from World in Serbia program took part in celebration and joined us.

Unfortunately, weather got bad on evening of second day of the Festival and the music program was cancelled, but it did not affect the activities of the Consulate.