One sure sign that Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is back on track is the re-emergence of UWI Fete, one of the signature events of the season. After a hiatus, organisers reintroduced the UWI flagship fundraising event with the theme ReLive, striving to attract patrons back to the scene of previous revelries at the St Augustine campus.
“The idea behind ReLive was that, as life continued to steadily re-emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an ardour, fuelled by nostalgia, to relive the salient and beautiful moments of yesteryear,” explained Dr Deirdre Charles, Director of UWI St Augustine’s Division of Student Services and Development (DSSD) and Chair of the Fete Committee of The UWI Development and Endowment Fund (UWIDEF).
The team sought to rekindle the passion which has drawn loyal participants for over 30 years.
“These were the moments that simultaneously took our breaths away while breathing new life into us. ReLive celebrated the intentionality of life and living, and invited us to immerse in a liberating and thrilling experience,” said Dr Charles.
Patrons had plenty to entice them, with catering by Chefs Khalid Mohammed and Debra Sardinha-Metivier and a crowd-pleasing performance roster which included Kes the Band, Roy Cape, Voice, Nailah Blackman, Farmer Nappy, Patrice Roberts, DJ Private Ryan, and more.
While the event team was committed to inspiring the Carnival spirit of camaraderie and festivity, the fete for a cause’s main goal was ever at the forefront.
“The UWI fete, long etched into T&T's annual Carnival calendar of activities, is one of the key fundraiser events which supports the UWIDEF pipeline of initiatives geared towards supporting students who cannot afford tertiary education,” explained Dr Sterling Frost ORTT, Chair of UWIDEF.
Proceeds fund UWIDEF’s mission to provide undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships. Each year, 200 scholarships and bursaries are awarded to deserving students. In addition, they finance 10 Star Awards valued at $15,000.00 each and 200 bursaries of $5,000.00 each.
“To date, The UWIDEF has given over 4,000 bursaries and 77 scholarships,” stated Dr Charles.
In the past, corporate sponsors were some of the keenest supporters of the cause, but this year brought challenges.
“The economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic remains, and the recent Russia-Ukraine war has resulted in a global economic downturn,” Dr Charles said. “Obtaining sponsorship for the event and getting corporate Trinidad and Tobago to purchase tickets proved to be more challenging than in previous years.”
She expressed gratitude to those who were able to support, especially Angostura.
Some loyal fans were also hesitant to attend. “Our target audience skews towards a mature one, and there are still patrons who are apprehensive about the lingering health risk of contracting COVID-19,” noted the Fete Committee Chair.
The organisers provided sanitising stations and advised attendees to wear masks.
However, she pointed out, “given that this was the first UWI Fete since large scale events restarted, the turnout was a satisfactory one.”
Dr Charles noted that enthusiasm for the event was tangible among both organisers and attendees.
“UWI Fete embodied a euphoric expression of our commitment to create, capture and revel in the beautiful life moments and experiences of today.”
Dr Frost also spoke confidently about the quality and reception of the event: “Patrons always enjoy themselves, and this year's ReLive was no exception.”
The UWIDEF Chair is also enthusiastic about the future of UWI Fete and its continuing evolution.
“The UWI fete will continue to be a staple and enabler of our culture through this convergence of national identity and human capital development,” he said. “As such, this tool for national development must be reviewed and renewed continuously to ensure alignment to this goal.”
Dr Frost added, “As Chair of the UWIDEF Board, I have been leading a revisit of all our fundraising activities, including The UWI Fete, as the socio-economic environment and human capital requirements have shifted post-pandemic on the heels of other global issues. The intent is to calibrate and revitalise without compromising what has worked for us perennially.”
Building on ReLive, Dr Charles said the team is confident that the festive momentum will charge on into UWI Fete 2024.
Later this year, UWIDEF will host its second Garden Party and The UWI Golf Challenge, one of the region’s most beloved sports-related fundraising events.
For more information on UWI Fete and related events, visit https://www.facebook.com/UWIFete/. For more on UWIDEF and its fundraising activities, visit https://www.uwi.edu/alumnionline/st-augustine-endowment-fund or email uwidef@sta.uwi.edu.
