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THE EARL LOVELACE MANUSCRIPTS: Inscribed on the UNESCO MoW Regional Register for LAC

For Release Upon Receipt - December 2, 2025

St. Augustine


St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, December 2nd, 2025 - The Earl Lovelace Manuscripts, which form part of the rich literary archives at the Alma Jordan Library, University of the West Indies (The UWI), St Augustine, have been recently inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Regional Register for Latin America and the Caribbean.

 A portrait of acclaimed Trinidad and Tobago author Earl Lovelace on display at the exhibition held in his honour at The Alma Jordan Library, The UWI St. Augustine, in July 2025.

 

This announcement was made at the XXV Meeting of the Regional Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean of UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme (MoWLAC) which took place in Lima and Cusco, Peru, 10-13 November 2025.

The Earl Lovelace Collection was acquired by The UWI, St Augustine in 1999 and contains handwritten documents, typed drafts, notebooks, notes for his novels, plays, speeches, essays and poetry which records the creative output of his early life up to his novel, Salt. It also includes some unpublished works, including poetry.

 A selection of Earl Lovelace’s celebrated novels showcased as part of the exhibition held in his honour at The Alma Jordan Library, The UWI St. Augustine, in July 2025. 

Some of Lovelace’s most notable works are: The Schoolmaster; The Dragon Can't Dance; While Gods are Falling; The Wine of Astonishment; Salt. His significant contribution to the development of literature in the Caribbean resulted in no less than 15 awards. Among them are the Chaconia Gold Medal, 1988 (Trinidad and Tobago National Award), Commonwealth Writers’ Prize (1997), Honorary Doctorate from the University of the West Indies (2002), OCM Bocas LitFest Prize for Caribbean Literature (2012) and the CariCon Lifetime Award (2025). This year, the Faculty of Humanities and Education in collaboration with the Alma Jordan Library at the UWI, St Augustine, proudly celebrated Earl Lovelace’s 90th birthday with the installation of an exhibition entitled LOOKING ACROSS on Friday, 4 July 2025.

 

 An artistic painting created in tribute to Earl Lovelace, featured prominently at the exhibition held in his honour at The Alma Jordan Library, The UWI St. Augustine, in July 2025.

The UWI has been engaged in building our national and regional heritage since the days of the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA) in 1922. The University now holds over 160 special collections, and the Earl Lovelace Manuscripts have joined other prestigious collections which were inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. The Derek Walcott Collection was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World International Register in 1997, followed by the Eric Williams Memorial Collection in 1999 and the CLR James Collection in 2005. The Sam Selvon Collection was inscribed on the Regional Register in 2012, and the Carlisle Chang Collection and Jackie Hinkson Sketchpad Collection were inscribed on the Local Register in 2010. The Alma Jordan Library welcomes scholars, locally and internationally, to conduct research, and we look forward to partnering with stakeholders to continue documenting and preserving our Caribbean heritage.

UNESCO Caribbean https://www.facebook.com/unescocaribbean

UNESCO News: 29 new inscriptions on UNESCO´s Memory of the World Regional Register for Latin America and the Caribbean https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/29-new-inscriptions-unescos-memory-world-regional-register-latin-america-and-caribbean

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About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier higher education institution and one of only two regional universities in the world. With five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, The UWI continues to be a beacon of academic excellence, research innovation, and societal impact. Consistently ranked among the world’s best by Times Higher Education (THE), The UWI is a global leader in addressing critical challenges, including climate change, sustainability, and development.

As The UWI St. Augustine Campus celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2025 under the theme Beyond 65: From the Caribbean, For the World, it pays tribute to its Caribbean roots while highlighting its contributions to solving global challenges. This milestone underscores the campus's significant role in producing ground-breaking research and fostering talent that transcends regional boundaries to shape a better world. The UWI St. Augustine’s researchers, academics, and graduates continue to make an international impact, exemplifying the university’s mission to serve the region while influencing the world.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu 

 

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