'A Legacy in Motion', the theme of the 2009 American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) annual gala at the Hotel Pierre in New York on January 29, adequately described the high level of achievement of the individuals honoured at the event.

Awardees for 2008 included Jamaican Olympian Veronica Campbell-Brown (salute to Caribbean Olympians); Terry Lundgren, chairman of Macy's (corporate award); Sir Courtney Blackman, former governor, Bank of Barbados (special award) and United States actor Danny Glover (Bob Marley Award).

Vice-Chancellor awardees were: Joi Gordon, chief executive officer of Dress for Success Worldwide; Andrew Gray, managing director and chief operations officer, Merrill Lynch; Jerome Maxwell, managing director, Jamalco; Bert M. Peterson, co-founder and managing partner, Global Cancer Control and Voza Rivers, executive producer and founding member of the New Heritage Theatre Group.

Sir George Alleyne, chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), hailed the awardees as "examples of the excellence which we strive to exemplify".

Vice-Chancellor, Professor E. Nigel Harris, said that the gala "recognises and honours the work and achievements of graduates and faculty members of the university people of Caribbean heritage, corporate entities that operate in or have links with the Caribbean and distinguished world citizens who have made an impact on the lives of people around them, which include those of Caribbean descent".

Icon of Caribbean unity

Michael Flanigan, chairman, AFUWI pleaded for help "to protect and strengthen this icon of Caribbean unity and strength."

The AFUWI, which over the past decade has provided many scholar-ships and grants and funded special projects to foster the development of the UWI, has recognised individuals and organisations "linked to the Caribbean who have made exceptional contributions to the world around them."

LEFT: Sir George Alleyne (right), chancellor, University of the West Indies with (from left), Vice Chancellor, Professor E. Nigel Harris, Soledad O'Brien, CNN anchor, Lamuel Stanislaus and her husband, Dr Stanislaus, recipient of a luminary award at the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) gala in New York on January 29.
RIGHT: From left: Pamela Frank and husband, Dr Harry Belafonte, honorary patron, AFUWI Gala, United States congressman Charles Rangel, Karl Rodney, chairman of the AFUWI gala committee and former New York mayor, David Dinkins, enjoy each other's company at the gala.