NAIROBI (Landscape News) – Kenyan Afro fusion singer Suzanna Owiyo will open an evening of celebrations on Thursday to cap off the two-day Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) conference in Nairobi. Ghanaian-born Afro roots musician and humanitarian activist Rocky Dawuni will also perform.
Owiyo, known for blending contemporary rhythms with traditional music, will share the stage with Ghanaian afro-roots musician Dawuni, in a performance for top environment dignitaries, policymakers, terrestrial and agro-forestry experts. Thousands more will join as online delegates to debate how best to restore more than 2 billion hectares of degraded land worldwide – an area larger than South America.
The concert will be livestreamed.
Owiyo, a UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador, performed for U.S. President Barack Obama during his 2015 visit to Kenya. She has shared the stage with such musical giants as Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Youssour D’dour and the late Aretha Franklin.
She has produced three albums and performed at various international music festivals, including a 90th birthday tribute concert in London for former anti-apartheid leader and South African President Nelson Mandela.
Throughout her 20 year career, Owiyo has advocated for various causes, including Girl Child Empowerment and Food Waste Reduction under her Soko Bila Waste Foundation initiative. She is also a Plan International Goodwill Ambassador.
Dawuni, currently based in Los Angeles and Ghana, was nominated for a 2015 Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album, “Branches of the Same Tree,” which features original tunes, including Afro dancehall mashup “African Thriller,” released with a striking video.
The singer has long been a supporter of human rights initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty and other social inequalities, speaking out on environmental concerns, health issues, rights for women, clean water and international peace efforts.
Concert will be on Thurs. Aug. 30 at 7:15 p.m. Learn more.
Ask-Me-Anything with Rocky Dawuni, Wed. Aug. 29 at 10:00 a.m. local time in Nairobi (GMT+3). Send your questions by using #amarocky
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