…festival logo unveiled
The global focus will be on Sierra Leone from November 25-30, 2025, for good reason.
For a whole week, the West African country will register a milestone in its tourism history by hosting the first festival dedicated to the reggae music genre.
Aptly tagged ‘One Nation Reggae Festival’, the music, culture and tourism celebration, which will be themed “Shared Roots, Shared Rhythms, One Love One Vibe”, will, among other excitements, attract global attendees to the country’s capital Freetown to enjoy a well-curated program structured to blend Sierra Leonean and Caribbean cultural expressions.
Indeed, the Sierra Leonean government, through the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, organizers of the festival, has expressed its readiness to stage a week-long celebration of music, culture and diaspora relations.
Part of the preparations is the recent unveiling of the festival logo by the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, in a formal event attended by senior officials of the ministry and cultural stakeholders.
Speaking on the significance of the festival, Judith C. Jones, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, described it as a symbol of unity and national identity, and also highlighted the role of the event in showcasing Sierra Leone's cultural heritage to a wider audience as well as enhancing the country's image as a peaceful destination.
The Permanent Secretary emphasized that the visual identity is part of broader preparations by the Ministry and its agencies to host an inclusive cultural movement that drives tourism and community engagement.
But Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Nabila Farida Tunis was most excited by the development. Speaking at the event, he said the unveiling of the logo was more than a visual launch, as it “symbolizes the unity, identity and shared heritage between Sierra Leone and the Caribbean,” adding that the festival would be a platform for artists, dancers, designers and chefs to “express their truth and creativity with pride.”
The Minister underlined the diplomatic and commercial potential of the Festival, saying that the event positions Sierra Leone as a welcoming hub for cultural exchange, connections and investment.
Director level officials of the Ministry, including Director of Tourism and Exchange Programs Mohammed Jalloh and Director of Culture, Creativity and Innovation Foday Jalloh, highlighted the specific purpose of the festival, particularly its role in connecting Sierra Leone to Africa and the Caribbean through common musical and cultural threads. The event team said safety, inclusivity and measurable community benefits will be prioritized in the preparations.
Meanwhile, the One Nation Reggae Festival is presented as a two-phase event, starting with a pre-festival teaser and launch party in early November to generate national awareness, followed by the main festival week from November 25-30, 2025. The main event will feature a combination of headline concerts, cultural showcases, craft markets and culinary experiences designed to highlight Sierra Leonean and Caribbean artistry.
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Organizers also confirmed a lineup that brings international and local acts to Freetown, including both major names and emerging talent. The Minister named internationally acclaimed reggae artists Sizzla Kalonji and Christopher Martin as part of the bill, and the festival factsheet lists additional artists throughout the program.
Repositioning the festival as “Sierra Leone's Grand Homecoming” positions the event as a cultural bridge linking reggae, bubu and maringa rhythms with the national campaign to strengthen diaspora ties.
The One Nation Reggae Festival follows a successful preview activation at the Family Kingdom along Aberdeen Beach Road on August 1, 2025, an event organized under the Ministry’s “2025 Year of Ecotourism” initiative in partnership with Olive Garden and Reggae Union Sierra Leone. That preview brought together local audiences, expatriate visitors and international guests and presented performances that reflected the cultural and commercial ambitions of the festival.
Officials said the festival aims to not only entertain but also contribute to tourism-based economic strategies, adding it will be integrated into broader efforts to create jobs, support small businesses and create pathways for creative entrepreneurs. The ministry indicated plans for inter-agency collaboration and private sector participation to manage logistics, crowd safety and vendor inclusion in a way that benefits can spread beyond the capital.
As preparations proceed, the Ministry has indicated that the Festival will target the whole of Africa and the diaspora, and there will be programming as well as promotional activity aimed at converting cultural interest into visits and investment. According to organizers, the One Nation Reggae Festival is a strategic component of Sierra Leone's cultural diplomacy, which aims to deepen cultural ties while supporting the country's tourism objectives.
One Love, One Vibe, shared roots and shared rhythms remain the central message of the festival's newly revealed identity; The logo is designed to embody a visual and symbolic commitment to unity, creativity and cultural exchange.
