Jamaican Embassy Celebrates 61st Independence Day With Reggae

Jamaica became independent from Britain in 1962 and is celebrating its 61st Independence Day this year.

To celebrate the Independence Day, Shauna Kay Richards, Ambassador of Jamaica to Japan, organized a very fashionable, fun and Jamaican party.

Blue Note Place in Ebisu was chosen for this year’s Independence Day party.

Riddim from JAMAICA featured Macka Ruffin, a charisma in Japan’s reggae world, and his friends.

Macka Ruffin and his friends, at Blue Note Place in Ebisu

Riddim is an English word unfamiliar to Japanese people, but it was originally a Jamaican English (Patois) word meaning Rhythm.

Ambassador Richards hosted guests dressed in the colors of the Jamaican flag to symbolize Independence Day.

This party was held with a completely different purpose from the usual Independence Day reception held by the embassy, but it was full of Jamaican culture such as Reggae and Ragamuffins, music, and food such as jerk chicken, the national food of Jamaica.

It was a wonderful opportunity to fully experience Jamaican food, music and hospitality.

Blue Note Place in Ebisu was chosen for this year’s Independence Day party.

Riddim from JAMAICA featured Macka Ruffin, a charisma in Japan’s reggae world, and his friends.

Riddim is an English word unfamiliar to Japanese people, but it was originally a Jamaican English (Patois) word meaning Rhythm.

Ambassador Richards hosted guests dressed in the colors of the Jamaican flag to symbolize Independence Day.

This party was held with a completely different purpose from the usual Independence Day reception held by the embassy, but it was full of Jamaican culture such as Reggae and Ragamuffins, music, and food such as jerk chicken, the national food of Jamaica.

It was a wonderful opportunity to fully experience Jamaican food, music and hospitality.

In 2005, Ambassador Richards was selected as a Fellow of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs and participated in a two-month disarmament programme. As part of this program, the Government of Japan provided a one-week training in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and Ambassador Richards visited Japan.

Ambassador Richards, who was with Hibakusha, A-bomb survivors at the time, shared the view that “this should never happen again.”

Ambassador Richards was then appointed Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations in New York, where she was responsible for the work of the First Commission, the Commission on Disarmament and International Security. In those four years, Ambassador Richards has been very active in the progress at the United Nations leading to a negotiated treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons.

The presence of Ambassador Richards as a diplomatic leader aiming to “realize a world without nuclear weapons” is very important.

In September, a young Jamaican doctor will come to Japan to study Japanese medicine.

In order to support the training, Ambassador Richards and the Jamaican Embassy in Japan held bazaars and charity dinners, and worked hard to raise funds.

Thanks to the efforts of the ambassador and the embassy, the visit of a Jamaican doctor to Japan will be realized.

Ambassador Richards had a very busy summer. Even in September, the busy schedule will continue.

I hope that she will continue to contribute to the development of Jamaica and to the further development of diplomatic relations with Japan and South Korea.