Yara (Trinidad), a leading global chemical company that produces products for farmers and other industrial customers, has agreed to support the UWI by joining in the celebration of the life of Sir Vidia Naipaul in 2007.

The St. Augustine Campus will mark the 75th birthday of Sir Vidia Naipaul with a series of events from 17-19 April 2007. These include, among other things, an evening of appreciation at which Sir Vidia will speak as well as a symposium during which leading regional and international scholars will discuss his works.

These activities will recognise, and pay tribute to Sir Vidia Naipaul for his immense contribution to literature, culture and his understanding of some of the most troubling issues relating to globalisation. A series of academic fora featuring leading scholars will also be held that will address a variety of issues raised in the work of Sir Vidia.

Yara’s contribution will result in the production of two films. The first will be about Sir Vidia and his work with interviews of family members, academics and knowledgeable members of society. The Lion House, which features prominently in the novel A House For Mr. Biswas, St. James, the setting for the novel Miguel Street and other places and events associated with Sir Vidia and his work will also be featured in this production.

The second film will cover all the events associated with the Year of Naipaul in 2007 and will include Naipaul’s readings, his talk, his book signing, questions and answers, public lectures throughout the year, including a public lecture at Cave Hill. This film will also include lectures by Homi Bhabha, Kenneth Ramchand, Gordon Rohlehr and others as well as the International Conference on Naipaul at the St. Augustine Campus. The film of the Year of Naipaul will be edited and packaged for educational purposes and for wide availability by April 2008. Both films will have significant educational and cultural value.

The relationship between The University of the West Indies and Yara (Trinidad) Limited has always been close. This relationship is marked in the field of agriculture with the conclusion of a memorandum of understanding in 2005 under the YUCAPA (Yara-UWI Community Assistance Programme in Agriculture). Yara has also provided support for the Department of Chemical Engineering as well as for students on scholarships. In addition, Yara also supports projects of the Centre for Creative and Festival Arts.

The company’s Trinidad operation is focused on ammonia production.