SIR Hilary Beckles, vice-chancellor of The University of the West Indies (UWI), and Dr Anthony Fauci, renowned director of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, are this year’s recipients of the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Award.

The announcement was made yesterday by Rev Al Sharpton, president and founder of the US National Action Network (NAN). The awards will be conferred on Sir Hilary and Dr Fauci at the annual breakfast event on MLK Day, next Monday in Washington, DC.

This is the 30th anniversary for the awards by which the work and legacy of Dr King are celebrated and persons honoured with a view to refocusing and sustaining his dream, said a release from NAN. It said Sir Hilary is being recognised for his global advocacy, academic scholarship and intellectual leadership in support of social justice, institutional equity, and economic development for marginalised and oppressed ethnicities and nations.

Dr Anthony Fauci, who is at the forefront of the fight in the United States against the novel coronavirus, will receive the “Lifetime Community Service Award”.

Previous awardees include the 42nd president of the United States Bill Clinton; Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Music; and the 82nd attorney general of the United States, Eric Holder. Event speakers have included Vice President-elect Joe Biden and United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

The ceremony and awards will be streamed live on UWItv’s website— www.uwitv.org, cable channels on Flow EVO and Facebook pages.