Future-Proofing: One Step Backward, Two Steps Forward
Advancing Research for Repair and Increased Accountability
The UWI launched the One-UWI Research Cluster on Reparatory Justice. Unveiled in a virtual ceremony on January 24, 2025, this visionary initiative unites an energetic network of scholars, students, and stakeholders dedicated to healing history’s deep scars and forging progressive pathways for the future. Guided by Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah, the Cluster aspires to be a multidisciplinary powerhouse—delving into legal, economic, scientific, and cultural dimensions of reparations—while kindling global advocacy and thought-provoking dialogue. The launch earned glowing praise from Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, who hailed it as a landmark contribution to the worldwide quest for justice and the realisation of Sustainable Development Goals. University leaders, including Professors Aldrie Henry-Lee and Silvia Kouwenberg, and international partners, such as Ms Lucy Gaffney, spotlighted the Cluster’s pivotal role in redefining the Caribbean’s future. Their rallying cry is unmistakable: justice and sustainability are intertwined, and authentic progress requires both accountability and reparative action. The Cluster’s groundbreaking work, in harmony with innovative programmes like the UWI/University of Glasgow MA in Reparatory Justice, marks the dawn of a new era—one where research, advocacy, and action drive transformative change across the region and the wider world.


