It was an evening of music, voice, and dance, brought together to provide for students with exceptional ability but limited resources seeking their future through higher education. Ignite, the benefit concert hosted by The UWI Development and Endowment Fund (UWIDEF), went bigger in its second edition, bringing several renowned choirs, orchestras, soloists, and dancers to the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA).

At The UWI, we recognise the immense value of learning Chinese, not only as a means of intercultural communication, but also as a gateway to opportunities in academia and business. Chinese was first introduced in 1999 at the Centre for Language Learning (CLL). Since then, the programme has seen tremendous growth, with its beneficiaries going on to pursue diverse career paths, excel in academic pursuits, and engage in meaningful cultural exchanges.

“Ignite 2 - Rekindle the Flame” took place on Palm Sunday, March 24. Last year’s artistes The Lydians and the Signal Hill Alumni Choir, were joined by several performing acts. These included the National Steel Symphony Orchestra of Trinidad and Tobago, the Shiv Shakti Dance Company, and the Southernaires Choir. UWI St Augustine’s own UWI Arts Chorale and UWI Steel also performed, as well as soloists, Edward Cumberbatch, Neval Chatelal, and Quinton Neckles.

The Ignite benefit concert is one of UWIDEF’s major fundraising events to award scholarships and bursaries to deserving students. At their 2023/2024 ceremony, UWIDEF presented a combined total of 210 awards, including ten UWI Star scholarships for students who displayed excellence in academics and co-curricular activities.

Founded in 1990, UWIDEF has supported thousands of UWI students. On July 7, they will host The UWI Garden Party at the St Augustine campus (see article in this issue). Titled La Festa in Giardino, this event will be “an evening of delectable cuisine, vibrant jazz and soca rhythms”, reads a statement from UWIDEF. All proceeds from the Garden Party go towards scholarships and bursaries.