Global conversations and accolades

Vice-Chancellor Beckles received several awards and other tokens of recognition for his global advocacy, academic scholarship, and intellectual leadership in support of social justice, institutional equity, and economic development for marginalised and oppressed ethnicities and nations. Among them are:

The Peace and Freedom Award, by Reverend Al Sharpton and the National Action Network (NAN) on Dr. Martin Luther King Day, January 18, 2021, for his “contributions to the global fight for human rights and human dignity, particularly in the African diaspora”.

The Cross and Plaque, the highest honour of Antigua and Barbuda’s Faithful and Meritorious Award. It was presented by Governor-General, His Excellency Sir Rodney Williams, on December 4, 2021, in recognition of his “40 years of distinguished service to The UWI and the Caribbean”.

Paul Harris Fellowship, by the Rotary Foundation, through the Rotary Club of St. Andrew, Jamaica, in recognition of his “extensive work as a thought leader in the field of social justice and minority empowerment”. He joins a list of distinguished Paul Harris Fellows including former US President Jimmy Carter, former Russian President Boris Yeltsin, US Astronaut James Vogel, former United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk.

Vice-Chancellor Beckles also participated in some conversations and made presentations of global significance, such as:

2021 Keynote Speaker at the UNESCO Day for Remembering the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition, on 23 August. The memorial provides “an inclusive space for all people to remember the victims of the transatlantic slave trade, reflect on its legacy, and honour those freedom fighters who fought for its abolition”. The theme of this year’s event was “Justice and Restoration”. It was hosted by Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London.

Presentation to European Parliament, December 2, 2020. Invited to speak at a virtual international panel during a special discussion on the poverty legacies of colonization, Vice-Chancellor Beckles reminded the audience that Europe’s economic development was funded by a brutal and inhumane system of wealth extraction from the Caribbean, leaving the region impoverished and unable to meet its economic development targets. Further, he pointed out that reparatory justice is a top priority moral issue in the international order, and exhorted them to end colonialism in the region and honour the debt owed.

Dialogue with Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), His Excellency Luis Almagro, April 14, 2021, marking Pan American Day. Vice-Chancellor Beckles was invited to speak on The UWI’s support in the region in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, during the first of a virtual series entitled, “A Chat with the OAS”. He called on the OAS for coordinated, organized global investment in the Caribbean to combat major challenges, “most of which are not of our making.”

Virtual Courtesy Call with EU Head of Cooperation, Dr. Luis Maia, on Monday June 7. This conversation took place ahead of the opening ceremony to launch the EU-funded project coordinated by PAHO with five main sub-regional partners (including The UWI). The goal was to “Strengthen Climate-Resilient Health Systems in the Caribbean” by improving climate and health systems, as well as human capacities, through collaborations.