On Wednesday night we will welcome stars and special shows and stand up to welcome one of the biggest ambassadors of contemporary reggae, the eight-time Grammy award winner and son of Bob; Ziggy Marley.

With seven internationally acclaimed albums under his belt as a solo artist, Ziggy is in the middle of the eclectic tour Rebellion Rises. The tour is inspired in its simple namesake, seeking to reject the principles that give rise to hate and violence and which today will take to the Main Stage. The Jamaican band Third World – one of the most influential bands from the Caribbean island – will also play out a special show they have prepared to share with the Rototom crowds in celebration of their 45-year career in the musical world.

The unique and fascinating sounds of Iseo & Dodosound hailing from Navarro, who combine a little of reggae, dub and trip-hop, as well as Dwight Duncan, better known as Bushman, one of the biggest proponents of roots reggae, complete the stage’s line-up.

There are only a few other finishing touches to the evening that are invited to other stages like the Lion Stage, which will embrace, among others, the unique show from Stonebwoy arriving from Ghana, known for their collaborations with artists such as Kabaka Pyramid and Sean Paul, and who will be accompanied by The Fireman Crew out of Austria. The stage will also vibrate with the mix of reggae, soul, pop and dub from Koers this Wednesday from Lérida, as well as Naâman, who has become a stalwart of current French reggae music.

Wednesday night promises some strong vibrations in the Dub Academy. A space that will see the coming together of the unique sounds of the mighty Blackboard Jungle from France and Green Light Sound System from Spain, alongside guests 48 Roots from Italy.

Aside from the music, the Reggae University will welcome the ambassador Mussie Hailu, peace activist, regional director of the URI for Africa and a representative of the URI for the African Union and the office of the UN on the continent, who will officially award the Africa Peace Award. This prize was obtained by reggae in 2018 for its contribution to the building of peace and coexistence and has also been received by personalities such as Mother Teresa and organisations such as UNESCO during its long history.

During this full day, the Reggae University will welcome a range of distinguished guests such as Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie, the grandson of Emperor Haile-Selassie I, who will speak about the importance of Ethiopia for the world’s cultural and spiritual heritage.

In terms of reflection and activism, the relation between gender equality and climate change will be clarified this Wednesday in the Social Forum, in a debate entitled ‘Women for Future’. It’s a session that will bring together a range of figures at the same table; Yayo Herrero, one of the most influential eco-feminist investigators in Europe, with Gemma Barricarte, the face of Spain’s branch of the youth climate movement Friday’s for Future, which is led by the young Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

In terms of attendance figures for the festival, between Friday 16th and Monday 19th of August, more than 118,000 people have passed through the festival area. Saturday was the day with the highest numbers, with 34,000 attendees. This year, up to its halfway point, we have seen people from 65 countries attending, with Spain, France, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and the United States at the forefront.