November 14, marked the launch of Sir Shridath Ramphal’s memoir “Glimpses of a Global Life” at an event held in Washington, DC as part of the Organization of American States Lecture of the Americas series.
Sir George Alleyne, Chancellor, University of the West Indies offered the opening remarks in a packed room, attended by many members of the diplomatic corps including His Excellency Bayney Karran of Guyana, and followers of diplomacy and world affairs. Sir Shridath (also known by many as Sonny), held sway in the room reading from his book directly, and sharing insights into the world he has traversed many times as an internationalist and statesman. He told the enthralled audience of his hopes for a unified Caribbean that could use its integrated strength to be a power and have a voice on the world stage.
Sir Shridath, who helped to draft a constitution for a unified West Indies, expressed hope that this structure might still come to pass. He also spoke with justified pride about his involvement in the dissolution of the renegade state of Rhodesia that was to become Zimbabwe and his efforts to fight for sanctions that would see the release of the freedom fighter Nelson Mandela and the disbanding of the abhorrent system of apartheid in South Africa.
During an engaging question and answer session moderated by Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary General, OAS, Sir Shridath spoke of the need for countries in the West Indies to find ways to keep their brightest and youngest from leaving because of lack of opportunities in their native countries.
The book “Glimpses of a Global Life is an analysis of major problems and challenges that dominated the Caribbean, the Commonwealth and the World in the 20th Century and that continue to shape the contours of the 21st.
Attendees at the event were able to purchase a copy of the book which Sir Shridath signed at the end of the program.
