CASTRIES, St Lucia, (GOSL) – Saint Lucia’s Nobel Laureate Festival under the theme “Celebrating Excellence: Vision 20/20” will culmination with four events planned for February and March, to mark the 27th year of celebrating the island’s two Nobel Laureates, Sir William Arthur Lewis (economics, 1979) and Sir Derek Alton Walcott (literature, 1992) with improved attendance in all of its featured events.
From customary lectures honouring the laureates, community events in Laborie and Dennery, and new additions to the programme requested by members of the public, attendees enjoyed the festival’s offerings, evident by the increase in numbers of attendees and longer networking sessions.
This year’s lectures were very well received, in conjunction with Mac Donald Dixon, Saint Lucian poet, novelist and playwright presenting the Sir Derek Walcott memorial lecture on the topic, “After Derek Walcott: the Saint Lucia Poetic Tradition”, and Timothy Antoine, Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) presenting on the topic, “Socio-Economic Transformation by Invitation and Innovation” at the Sir Arthur Lewis memorial lecture.
The Nobel Laureate Festival Committee expressed gratitude to the partners and sponsors who supported this year’s festival. Among them, the Government of Saint Lucia which allocated $45,000 to the festival’s overall budget. The Bank of Saint Lucia contributed $10,000 for the Sir Arthur Lewis memorial lecture and First Citizens Investment Services Ltd (Saint Lucia) donated $2,500 towards the Walcott Schools Festival.
The committee also thanked media houses for provided coverage to many of the events.
Future Nobel Laureate Festival events include:
- February 1, 2020: at 6.00 a.m: The Sir Arthur Lewis Community College Race to the Morne from the Derek Walcott Square to the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College. Participants may run or walk. For details regarding registration, please contact the College.
- February 1, 2020, 5:30 pm: 758 Saint Lucia Books presents meet the author, at Gablewoods Food Mall, Castries.
- February 6, 2020, 9:a.m – 3.00 p.m: The UWI Open Campus Patricia Ismond literary seminar at the UWI Open Campus, Morne Fortune, Castries.
- March 28, 2020, 7.00 p.m: “Kesnoh: The Story of Black Mallet” – a play written by Mac Donald Dixon and directed by Kendel Hippolyte at the National Cultural Centre, Barnard Hill, Castries.
