Swedish reggae festival challenges the world of reggae: The Uppsala Reggae Festival challenges reggae festivals and reggae media of the world to accept the Life is Great challenge – a positivity-project that is making people express the beauty greatness in life.

Life is great! In these times of global economic recession, hope and joy is needed. Yared Tekeste, the founder of Uppsala Reggae Festival in Sweden, thinks this world needs more reggae spirit:

“There are so many wonderful things in the world, but we need to help each other understand and appreciate them. Therefore Uppsala Reggae Festival encourages all reggae media and festivals to challenge their audience to share the joy and optimism in a creative and generous manner”.

As an example Yared mentions the positivity-project, Life is Great. Through a blog people are contributing with art, photos, poetry, video, music and share their ideas on Life is Great (www.lifeisgreat09.blogspot.com). The best material will then be published in magazines and exposed at Uppsala Reggae Festival 2009, which has Life is Great as a festival theme this year.

”The Life is Great concept, including the logo, may be used by all reggae lovers who accepts the challenge”, says Yared Tekeste.

Uppsala Reggae Festival is the biggest reggae festival in northern Europe. Every year the Uppsala Reggae Festival brings some of the biggest stars of reggae to Uppsala just north of Stockholm and attracts around 20 000 visitors during three days. The festival is one of the most popular summer festivals in the otherwise dark and cold Scandinavia, where the sun goes down at noon during the
winter and the short summer is celebrated as the highlight of the year. This year a unique mix of legends and young rising stars are presented at Uppsala Reggae Festival. Apart from the music, there will also be Reggae Soccer, Reggae Cinema and a Life is Great exhibition.

“Reggae is advancing in Scandinavia and that is not all due to the music, but also because of the culture and lifestyle. People are looking for new ways to meet, and now more than ever the world needs us to spread the positivity”, says Yared Tekeste.

International artists 2009: Alpha Blondy (CIV), Busy Signal (JAM), Third World (JAM), Ky-Mani
Marley (JAM), Don Carlos (JAM), Etana (JAM), Junior Kelly (JAM), Lutan Fyah (JAM), The
Heptones (JAM), Collie Buddz & The New Kingston Band (BER/JAM), David Rodigan (UK), King
Jammy’s Super Power (JAM), T.O.K (JAM), Rootz Underground (JAM), Ziggi & The Renaissance
Band (NL), Komposti Sound (FIN), Inna Yard All Stars feat Cedric ”Congo ” Myton – Linval
Thompson – Earl” Chinna” Smith – Kiddus I – The Viceroys – Deraja – Matthew McNuff (JAM).
Swedish artists 2009: Svenska Akademien, Jaqee, Kultiration, Syster Sol, Governor Andy,
Hoffmaestro Chraa, Nazarenes, Meditative Sound, Safari Sound, Junior Natural, Roots Circus,
Rootvälta.