The UWI Global Campus, SVG, to Host 25th Annual Islands In Between Conference
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) Global Campus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, will host the 25th Annual Eastern Caribbean Island Cultures (Islands In Between) Conference on the Languages, Literatures and Cultures of the Eastern and Greater Caribbean from Thursday, November 5, to Saturday, November 7, 2026, at its Site in Kingstown.
The conference brings together scholars and researchers to explore the languages, literatures, histories and cultural identities of the Eastern and Greater Caribbean. It was established through a collaboration between the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, and The UWI Cave Hill Campus, with the University of the Virgin Islands subsequently joining. Over the years, it has been hosted at different locations across the Caribbean, providing a longstanding platform for scholarly exchange and interdisciplinary research.
The Opening Session will take place on Thursday, November 5, at 9:00 a.m., with the keynote address delivered by Vincentian scholar Dr. Paula Prescod, Associate Professor of Linguistics and Language Teaching at Université de Picardie Jules Verne, France. She previously taught English and French language and literature at Emmanuel High School, Mesopotamia; the St. Vincent Grammar School; and The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.
Her research focuses on Caribbean Creole languages, language teaching and the cultures of Creole-speaking societies, particularly Vincentian Creole. Her presentation, “Islands In Between, Voices in Common: Language, Belonging, and Cultural Identity in the Caribbean”, will examine the connections between language, identity and belonging in the Caribbean. Her recent scholarly work includes the edited volume The Carib, Kalinago, and Garifuna Peoples: Indigeneity, Hybridization, and Mobility in the Americas, published by the University of Illinois Press in September 2026.
The three-day programme will feature scholarly presentations and discussions on themes relevant to Caribbean scholarship and contemporary regional life. These include Caribbean languages and identity; literature, storytelling and cultural memory; music, performance and the arts; education, literacy and language policy; Indigenous histories; colonial legacies and resistance; and culture and community development. Sessions will also explore emerging issues in education, communication and digital innovation.
The programme will also feature a book launch by Professor Emeritus Peter Roberts of The UWI Cave Hill Campus, one of the conference’s founding organisers. The launch will take place on Friday, November 6, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Other activities will include a Cultural Night celebrating Vincentian cultural heritage and artistic expression, as well as an island tour, offering delegates opportunities to experience the island’s history, attractions and culture.
The UWI Global Campus, St. Vincent and the Grenadines Site, is pleased to host this gathering of Caribbean scholars and looks forward to facilitating stimulating academic exchange, meaningful connections and a deeper appreciation of the languages, literatures and cultures that shape our shared Caribbean identity.
