UN to re-lease Bob Marley’s “One Love to support children affected by COVID-19

July 9, 2020

The United Nations has said a new version of Bob Marley’s reggae classic “One Love” will be released to support children that have been badly affected by COVID-19 and would be on sale from July 17.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) made this known in a publication on Thursday.

The agency notes that the fundraiser aims to raise funds amid warnings that additional 6,000 children could die every day from preventable cases in the next six months.

According to UNICEF, almost all of the affected children live in developing countries, where the coronavirus pandemic has placed additional strain on already fragile health systems and basic services.

Issued from the 1977 album, “Exodus”, by Bob Marley and The Wailers, One Love preaches unity and calls for action to end children’s suffering.

It features members of the Marley family, world-renowned musicians, artists from conflict zones and children from vulnerable communities, it said.

The report quoted Marley’s daughter, Cedella, as saying her father wrote the song “about unity, peace, and universal love during a time when there was much trouble in the world.

“Even in a time when we aren’t able to ‘get together’, his message remains true today: we can get through this global crisis if we come together through one love and one heart,” she said.

Multinational jewellery maker, Pandora, has pledged to support the project by “matching every dollar raised to purchase One Love, up to the tune of one million dollars (N376 million).

According to the report, all proceeds from the sale will support Reimagine, UNICEF’s global campaign to prevent the COVID-19 emergency from becoming a lasting crisis for children.

It states that the agency intends to use the money raised from the release of the new version of the song to respond to immediate needs, including “soap, facemasks, gloves, hygiene kits, protective equipment, and lifesaving information for children and families.”