U.W.I. torch run celebrates 50th anniversary

Since it first opened its doors in 1948, the University of the West Indies has grown to become the Caribbean’s most prestigious educational institution. And to celebrate its many achievements over that time, the school is sponsoring a year long series of activities regionwide. This afternoon a parade/relay through the streets of the City marked the arrival of the fiftieth anniversary torch to Belize. To demonstrate U.W.I.’s renewed commitment to sports as an essential component of the teaching-learning process, the torch was carried into the City by a team of cyclists. Athletes from other sporting disciplines then took turns carrying the torch through the principal streets ending up at the City Centre where official ceremonies were held. Resident Tutor of the School of Continuing Studies in Belize, Dr. Joseph Palacio says the torch’s travel is symbolic of the unity of the English Speaking Caribbean.

Dr. Joseph Palacio, Resident Tutor, UWI

“The main significance is that it symbolizes fifty years of the service of the university. The other main significance is the regionality of the University of the West Indies. This torch started its long sojourn back in early January in Trinidad and Tobago went up through Grenada and Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean, double around St. Kitts to Turks and Caicos and Bahamas to Belize now. From Belize it goes on to Caymen Islands and from Cayman to Jamaica. It will have done the whole round of countries contributing to the the University of the West Indies, so. And then also, in all of these countries it’s been taken on this kind of relay where it has symbolically gone to the streets to meet people and then it goes again to another place.”

The anniversary activities continue with U.W.I.’s public lecture series which begins next week. Dr. Palacio says the lectures will focus on the institution’s fifty years of service to the Caribbean and on Belize’s observation of the two hundredth anniversary of the Battle of St. George’s Caye.