The Commemoration Celebrations and Alumni Week continue with a Grand Commemoration Concert and Pelican Award on Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 6 pm at the Assembly Hall, UWI, Mona. The Concert will feature Duane Stephenson alongside the wealth of talent from the UWI staff, students and alumni. The MC is Tony Patel.  

On this occasion the UWI Alumni Association (Jamaica Chapter) also uses the opportunity to present its Pelican Award. The Pelican Award is presented to a graduate of the University who has contributed significantly to the development of the University or has made an outstanding contribution to Jamaica. This is the most prestigious award given by the UWI Alumni Association. The recipient for this year is the National Dance Theatre Company (NDTC) for excellence in dance theatre.

Tickets Cost: J $ 1000 per ticket and J $500 for UWI students with ID. To purchase tickets for the Commemoration Concert please contact the Public Relations Office at 977-5941 or 935-8692.

The observation of Commemoration Celebrations and Alumni Week began in 2001 and provides an opportunity to celebrate the founding of the University and recognise its regional nature, while assisting to engender a greater sense of belonging and develop a feeling of camaraderie among staff, students and graduates. Each year, the Celebrations are dedicated to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the institution.

For 2009, the honoree is Professor Anthony Chen, former Head of the Climate Studies Group, one of the leading centres for climate change research in the Caribbean,  and Professor of Applied Atmospheric Physics in the Department of Physics. He was a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which shared the 2007 Nobel Prize with former US Vice President, Mr. Al Gore. An exhibition on Professor Chen may be viewed at the Main Library, Catalogue Hall.

For more information on the Commemoration Celebrations visit the website at http://www.mona.uwi.edu/commemoration/2009.