Saint Lucia to celebrate Nobel Laureate Festival
Saint Lucia has been celebrating Nobel Laureate Day every January 23rd for the past 30 years. This year’s theme is “celebrating Excellence: Nurturing our Creativity, Consolidating our Legacy. “
The Nobel Laureate Committee, as well as other sub-committees and sponsors, gathered on January 5th 2023 for the official launch of the Nobel Laureate Festival. Chair of the Committee, Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy gave some insight as to what the motive of this year’s Nobel Laureate festival is especially since it is the 30th year of celebrating Nobel Laureate Day.
She said, “It is for us now to take up the torch and light up the way ahead, building on the legacy of excellence that they have bequeathed us, breaking down barriers, breaching new frontiers, shattering glass ceilings, embracing new opportunities, creating new ideas, discovering new ways of doing and seeing things. This is what the Nobel Laureate festival is all about.”
General Manager of the Laborie Cooperative Credit Union, Lucius Ellevic, further elaborates on the relationship between the festival and its hopes for the young population.
He stated “Celebrate our people, who we are, and most importantly a recognition of the tremendous potential that lies within us. The achievements of our Nobel Laureates are a clear testament to our own potential, and showcasing their work as we are doing through this commendable initiative of the Nobel Laureate Festival Committee goes a long way in building the confidence of our young population. It shows them that they too can aspire to the highest level of their respective fields of endeavour.”
Other members at the gathering spoke about the different activities to be hosted in different districts to honour our Nobel Laureates. Some of the events to be held during the festival include a church service at 7:45 at the Lady of Assumption, Mount of Prayer Coubaril, followed by breakfast at Villa Santa Maria on January 8th 2023.
There will also be a school video competition of either a song, a poem or a dramatic presentation about sir Arthur Lewis, Sir Derek Walcott and Dame Calliopa Pearlette Louisy. The Competition is for students from the ages of 10 to 15 years. All videos should be submitted to Camdu by 20th January 2023. Students are asked to use the booklets; Do you know Sir Arthur? Glimpses of Sir Derek Walcott and Dame Pearlette Louisy First Female Governor General of Saint Lucia 1997 to 2017.
Sub-committees from the Nobel Laureate Committee will be hosting activities in Gros Islet, Canaries, Babonneau and the Cultural centre commencing from the 8th to the 31st of January.