The Nobel Laureate Festival has officially been launched.
The month-long celebration is held annually to honour Saint Lucia’s two Nobel Laureates, Sir William Arthur Lewis, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences in 1979; and Sir Derek Alton Walcott who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992.
This year’s celebrations will feature a range of activities including:
– Metaphorically Speaking with Delia Dolor featuring Saffron Gilbert-Kaluba, a British legal professional with Saint Lucian roots. Monday, January 12th.
– SLUDTERA Literary Arts Awards. The event will recognize students who participated in the junior and senior categories of the 2024 Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Wednesday, January 14th, Finance Administrative Center.
– Church service and breakfast. The annual church service will be held at the Abbey of Our Lady of the Assumption, Mount of Prayer, Coubaril Castries, followed by breakfast at Villa Santa Maria. Sunday, January 18th.
– Sir Derek Walcott Memorial Lecture delivered by Miss Canisia Lubrin: ‘A listwa manmay san liv’: A hi(story) of children without books.’ Tuesday, January 20th, Finance Administrative Center.
(Lubrin’s discourse aims to comment on Saint Lucia’s folk imagination by examining the mode of elegy that marks the final stanzas of Walcott’s ‘White Egrets’. She will also use the poetry of Walcott and other Saint Lucian poets to look at the social and political condition of folk imagination and its impact on Saint Lucia’s literary story.)
– Book launch. ‘Renewal Poems’ by Irvin Desir (deceased), a Saint Lucian poet admired by Walcott and other Saint Lucian writers. The launch will feature an introduction by poet and playwright Kendel Hippolyte, friend of the deceased. A number of local poets, many associated with Desir, will read Selected Poems from his collection.
Wednesday, January 21st, Warehouse 11, Vide Bouteille, Castries.
– Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture. The Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture is the College’s signature academic event, paying tribute to the enduring legacy of Nobel Laureate and world-renowned economist, Sir Arthur Lewis. Each year, a distinguished regional or international scholar is invited to share fresh perspectives on economics, leadership, and development, enriching the dialogue around the visionary ideas championed by Sir Arthur.
For 2026, the lecture will continue this tradition with a keynote address by Professor Sir Tim Besley, CBE, FBA – the Sir W. Arthur Lewis Professor of Development Economics at the London School of Economics (LSE).
His participation represents a profound connection between Saint Lucia and the institution where Sir Arthur’s scholarship reached its peak. Professor Besley’s address will explore the continuing relevance of Lewis’s theories to today’s global development challenges, offering an intellectually inspiring and deeply symbolic contribution to the Festival.
Thursday January 22nd, Finance Administrative Center.
– Musical tribute to Saint Lucia’s two Nobel Laureates by schools in the Castries basin. Nobel Laureate Day, Friday, 23rd, Constitution Park.
– Wreath Laying Ceremony. The Wreath Laying Ceremony honours Sir Arthur Lewis and Sir Derek Walcott – both laid to rest on the College grounds. The 2026 ceremony will unite family members, dignitaries, and the College community to pay tribute to their extraordinary contributions to economics, literature, and national identity.
Wreaths will be placed at their gravesites, accompanied by readings, reflections, and musical tributes. This year’s ceremony will also feature a keynote address by Dr. Anthea Octave, offering an inspiring perspective on legacy, culture, and excellence. Friday 23rd, SALCC.