On the hallowed grounds of the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, citizens of Saint Lucia gathered for an annual ritual of national significance. Public and private sector representatives ascended Morne Fortune on January 23rd to participate in the wreath-laying ceremony at the graves of the nation’s two Nobel Laureates—Sir William Arthur Lewis and Sir Derek Walcott.
The date holds particular importance as it marks the shared birthday of both distinguished figures. Sir Arthur Lewis, who revolutionized development economics and became the first and only Black recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 1979, rests alongside Sir Derek Walcott, the poetic visionary who claimed the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1992.
The ceremony struck a balance between solemn reflection and celebratory recognition, honoring not just their academic and literary achievements but their enduring global impact. The legacy of these intellectual giants continues to resonate internationally, with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley recently quoting Walcott’s work during an interview with Trevor Noah.
Dr. Anthea Octave, Director of Studies at Jamaica’s Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, delivered the keynote address. The Saint Lucian-born educator issued a powerful challenge to her compatriots, urging them to move beyond symbolic pride toward substantive emulation. She cautioned against the temptation to treat these achievements as mere national boasting points, instead advocating for their legacies to serve as inspirational standards for future generations.
The 2026 Nobel Laureate Festival, she noted, should represent not just commemoration but a call to action—encouraging Saint Lucians to transform admiration into achievement and legacy into living inspiration.