During a two-day Arts and Activism conference on October 14th and 15th at Lesley University, Minister Priya Manickchand and world renowned jazz Musician and civil rights activist Hugh Masakela, were honoured by Lesley University for their demonstrated commitment and leadership to advancing gender and racial equality around the world.

On October 15th, Minister Manickchand gave the keynote speech at this conference. There she told professors, students, and professional counsellors about the destructive effects of gender based violence, its causes and possible solutions. The Minister was adamant that an intensified global effort has to be made for gender equality using innovative means if the world is going to be all it is capable of being. Guyana’s strides in this regard were highlighted and commended.

Hugh Masakela on Thursday evening gave a dialogic interview at Lesley’s Prospect Hall to a capacity crowd. His story was a riveting recount of the fight against apartheid using the thing he knew best: music. Mr. Masakela was clear that any artist who uses his talents only for his or her own benefit is bound for self-destruction.