The UWI Open Campus, Saint Lucia. 18 July 2016. The University of the West Indies’ Global Giving Week was launched in Saint Lucia on July 8, 2016 as part of an ongoing awareness campaign for the initiative. The launch was hosted by Her Excellency, Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of Saint Lucia, who also demonstrated her support as a patron for the campaign by donating EC$5,000. Her Excellency’s generous contribution was followed by an EC$10,000 donation by Eastern Caribbean Financial Holdings (ECFH); EC$5,000 from Saint Lucia native, The Honourable Dr Winston C. V. Parris; EC$2,500 from the local UWI Alumni Association chapter; EC$2,000 from the Saint Lucia Teacher’s Credit Cooperative; US$2,000 from the staff of Invest Saint Lucia and pledges from a number of other individuals and organisations.
In an effort to accelerate its drive for self-sufficiency The UWI has launched Global Giving Week, (carded for August 1-7, 2016). The new fundraising model under the theme: Emancipate, Educate, Donate, marks the beginning of what is hoped will become an annual tradition to cultivate support to strengthen The UWI’s capacity to drive regional development. Global Giving Week has already been launched at the other campuses—Mona, Jamaica, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Cave Hill, Barbados, and the Belize Open Campus Site and will continue garnering support across other Open Campus sites leading up to August.
Her Excellency, Dame Pearlette Louisy, Governor General of Saint Lucia presents a cheque for EC$5,000 to Sir George Alleyne, UWI Chancellor in support of Global Giving Week.
The Saint Lucia launch was attended by Sir George Alleyne, UWI Chancellor and global patron of the initiative; Dr Luz Longsworth, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Open Campus; Dr Veronica Simon, Head of the Open Campus Saint Lucia Site; The Honourable Dr Gale Rigobert, Minister for Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development; and the Honourable Dr Ubaldus Raymond, Minister in the Ministry of Finance.
In her introductory remarks Dr Veronica Simon underscored the role of The UWI in the region, while Sir George Alleyne gave a rallying call to all UWI alumni to support the work of the regional University which had given birth to leaders in all spheres across the entire region and the world.
Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, UWI Vice-Chancellor, was unable to attend but sent a video message, in which he exhorted Caribbean peoples to take collective responsibility for their freedom and development. He called on the University’s community of graduates and supporters to “give generously to our scholarship and Endowment Funds for students in need of assistance…so as to strengthen and expand the emancipation mission we all imagine for our youth.”
In her address, Dr Luz Longsworth reiterated that appeal to alumni, well-wishers and others to give generously. “We can do this, but we must do it together.” She emphasized that the Global Giving campaign is the start of a movement to join hands with our alumni and friends and not a begging campaign. “This is the start of a revolution of how we take charge of our destiny in this region. We need to ensure we have to plan for the unknown and anticipate the unexpected. The Global Giving campaign is one way in which we can all become a part of that unimaginable future.”
The UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia received a total of EC$29, 876.40 in commitments. For more on giving to UWI visit: www.uwi.edu/giving
