Bermudian born actress Mrs. Olivia Virgil White brought the audience to its feet with her keynote speech at the Business and Professional Women's Association's 20th Anniversary banquet on Saturday evening.

The talented actress, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. O'Neil Virgil, of South Shore, Southampton, captivated the crowd with her speech which honoured the source of the excellent achievements by Bermudian women.

Instead of speaking to the audience directly, she chose to convey her message in "a love letter'' addressed to the audience.

Mrs. Virgil White, who has stared in numerous television series and whose career in theatre spans some 20 years, cited "her dear friends'' -- the audience -- as the source of such excellence in Bermudian women.

She further added that the BPWA members were the source of her own personal excellence.

"You have given me the ability to engage life wholeheartedly, to believe that I had a place in the world, and if I have broken the proverbial glass ceiling, it is because you taught me to believe that there was no ceiling!'' Mrs. Virgil White said cultural diversity was a fact of life and noted that how people think about and treat other cultures was crucial.

Her letter to the audience touched on the issue of children whom she believes "will be the corner stones upon which we can build a more peaceful world''.

Mrs. Virgil White is pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education.

She said poetry was the language of the soul or songs of the soul.

"At a time when children and youth of all cultures, countries and climes are reaping the backlash of racism, hatred and violence we must now sing songs of healing, songs of love...songs of the soul to bring them home to the source, the centre, the Divine,'' she said.

She finished of her letter by praising and honouring her parents, teachers and friends with poems.

She also dedicated a poem to the Business and Professional Women's Association as a thank you for supporting her work and the work of all women before closing her letter with: "in friendship and deepest love, your native daughter, Olivia Virgil White''.

The rest of the evening was devoted to honouring BPWA founder Dame Marjorie Bean through song, by Miss Erica Martin, and through words by Mr. Leon Edmead.

Dame Marjorie told the crowd that she was "as proud as a peacock and as happy as a clam at high tide''.

"My heart is filled with joy and gratitude that this organisation has reached 20 years and is entering into its 21st,'' she said.

She added that she felt that the heart of every person, who attended, had risen to a higher level as a result of the evening.