“Noh Lickle Twang!” is the theme of the multidisciplinary conference taking place from January 9-12 at The University of the West Indies, Mona to honour the legacy of Louise Bennett-Coverley, iconic Caribbean writer and performer. This is the inaugural staging of such a conference jointly hosted by the Faculty of Humanities and Education, the Philip Sherlock Centre for the Creative Arts and the West Indian Association of Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies. The conference begins with an Opening Ceremony on Wednesday, January 9 at 6: 30 pm at the Undercroft, UWI, Mona. Professor Emeritus, Mervyn Morris will be the guest speaker. The Opening Ceremony will also feature performances from Joan Andrea Hutchinson, UWI Panoridim Steel Orchestra and Lanamans Preparatory School. Speakers at the event include: Fabian Coverley, son of Miss Lou and Professor Rex Nettleford, Vice Chancellor Emeritus.

The conference continues on January 10-12 with plenary sessions, academic panels, round-table discussions and performances at the Social Sciences Lecture Theatre, UWI, Mona starting at 8:30 am daily. The topics for panel discussions are “Poetry, Orality and Performances: Currents in the Caribbean Criticism,” “Louise Bennett and the Politics of Gender,” “Miss Lou: Values and Ethics” and “Talking Nation: Miss Lou and the Politics of Language.” Plenary speakers at the Conference include: Linton Kwesi Johnson, Professor Jahan Ramazani, Chair, Department of English, University of Virginia, Dr. Carolyn Cooper, Professor of Literary and Cultural Studies, UWI, Mona and Dr. Hubert Devonish, Professor of Linguistics, UWI, Mona.

The public and the university community are invited. Admission to the Conference is free except the Heritage Tour on Saturday, January 12.

For further information, interested persons may telephone 927-2217, e-mail: liteng@uwimona.edu.jm or visit the conference website at: http://www.mona.uwi.edu/conferences/2008/wic/