Vice-Chancellor’s Forum: Small States in Global Governance
Discussion on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ historic appointment to
the UN the Security Council
Dear Editor,
You are cordially invited to tune in to UWItv to cover the livestream of a Vice-Chancellor's Forum: Small States in Global Governance on Thursday, November 7, 2019. The Forum which will feature remarks from Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves will focus on discussing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ historic appointment to the UN the Security Council earlier this year.
Background
Each year, five countries are elected to the 15-member United Nations (UN) Security Council (10 of whom are non-permanent) for a two-year term, according to a geographical rotation set by the UN Assembly in 1963. Recently, during the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, elections were held for five non-permanent members. St. Vincent and the Grenadines was appointed, making it the smallest nation ever to secure a seat among the non-permanent members. The country will officially take up the two-year seat on the Council on Jan. 1, 2020.
The elevation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is unprecedented for a country that is so small. The position will enlargen the nation’s influence in international affairs not only for itself, but for the Caribbean as a whole.
As an activist Caribbean university dedicated to leading conversations relevant to regional development, The UWI will bring together Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Ralph Gonsalves along with a small group of current and former diplomats for a dynamic discussion on various aspects of the role of a small Caribbean country in the Security Council. The panel will bring insights from their past experience, examining how this appointment impacts current international issues and those to come.
Date: Thursday, November 7, 2019
Live broadcast: www.uwitv.org and UWItv Cable TV channel on the FLOW EVO network
Time: 9:00 a.m. (Jamaica)/10:00 a.m. (Eastern Caribbean)
Questions: will be entertained either in person OR via the livestream chat feature at www.uwitv.org OR via WhatsApp at 876-279-9607
About the Vice-Chancellor’s Forums
The Vice-Chancellor’s forums, which first began in 2016, are part of an ongoing series which seeks to offer informed analysis, perspective and context to important developments in our region.
About The UWI
For over 70 years The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has provided service and leadership to the Caribbean region and wider world. The UWI has evolved from a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948 to an internationally respected, regional university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and an Open Campus. As part of its robust globalization agenda, The UWI has established partnering centres with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, and Africa including the State University of New York (SUNY)-UWI Center for Leadership and Sustainable Development; the Canada-Caribbean Studies Institute with Brock University; the Strategic Alliance for Hemispheric Development with Universidad de los Andes (UNIANDES); the UWI-China Institute of Information Technology, the University of Lagos (UNILAG)-UWI Institute of African and Diaspora Studies and the Institute for Global African Affairs with the University of Johannesburg (UJ). The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences and Sport.
As the region’s premier research academy, The UWI’s foremost objective is driving the growth and development of the regional economy. The world’s most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, has ranked The UWI among the top 600 universities in the world for 2019 and 2020, and the 40 best universities in Latin America and the Caribbean for 2018 and 2019. The UWI has been the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists. For more, visit www.uwi.edu.
