Honorary Gala Committee

I am pleased to extend warm wishes and hearty congratulations to the Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) on hosting the 31st Annual Caribbean Heritage Awards Gala on Friday, November 15, 2024, a culmination of the activities undertaken by the ICS over this year.

Appropriately, the presentation of the awards will honour the service, commitment and work of Caribbean nationals here in the United States and recognize those who have forged friendships with the Caribbean in the spirit of collaboration, cooperation and advancement.

Caribbean citizens and communities have made significant contributions, and it is quite fitting that these be recognized and celebrated. It is, therefore, with considerable pride and admiration that I have agreed to serve as the patron of this year’s Awards Gala.

I congratulate the honorees on their outstanding achievements and commend them for their direct and indirect contributions, the opportunities, inspiration and encouragement which they have provided to others. In the long-run, our communities and societies benefit, and we build bridges by showcasing Caribbean culture, excellence and dedication in taking up civic and other responsibilities.

Finally, I express gratitude to the ICS, its Advisory Board and Board of Directors for its representation of Caribbean voices and its advocacy. Please permit as I write this with the
unsettling American elections just days away and thinking of the background of impending disruptions in our lives and living all across our world, from the continued development and application of human knowledge, I offer this guiding principle, “One World, One Human Race” from Guyana, a place of six peoples from four continents and of three main religious.

Samuel A.A. Hinds

Ambassador

Embassy of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana