tirelessly for social justice.

The Richards-Minors scholarship is being set up by the National Association for Reconciliation and will be for the humanities and arts.

The scholarship was announced at the NAR's fourth annual awards ceremony banquet at the Belmont Hotel on Saturday.

It is being established in memory of Christopher Edward Trenton Richards and Reginald Stuart Russell Minors, who both died two years ago at the ages of 20 and 22.

Dr. Eva Hodgson, of the NAR, said: "Part of our quest was to ensure that all Bermuda, even those who like the NAR executive did not know either of these young people, would come to know something of them by hearing of the ideals and concerns which they represented.

"The more so because both of these young men demonstrated not only academic achievement and leadership, but a spiritual awareness and development.'' Dr. Hodgson said the NAR wanted to keep alive the memory of the two men's ideals.

"One of them had a public testimony of belief and trust in Jesus Christ despite facing some very painful challenges.

"The other took the time to become actively involved in his Church as an acolyte.'' It is hoped that a Richards-Minors lecture can be established annually where the winner of an essay competition would read their essay.

"We must make an urgent and strong statement that young black men have value,'' added Dr. Hodgson.

"Let these deaths be the seeds that will bring forth an abundant harvest of their high ideals, entrepreneurial skills and practical solutions,'' she added.

At the banquet, the NAR's individual award was presented to Merle Swan Williams "for her life-long love and respect for young people and dedication to education of all''.

As a teacher at Berkeley Institute who helped students facing difficulties with their studies, she saw the need for an Adult Education Programme. Today she is still involved in education counselling for entire families.

The Organisational Award was given to the One Hundred Black Men group which strives to address difficulties and concerns facing young men. It is currently developing summer camp programmes for young people.

Guest speaker at the banquet was Clayton Ramey, of the Fellowship of Reconciliation in New York, who spoke about the need for support for the development of young black men.

"Our celebration this evening says something else: that the young black men of Bermuda are strong, that they are brilliant, that they are responsible members of the larger society, that they are morally conscientious and that they have the capacity to serve, to build, to lead.'' He said if young black men were not celebrated and educated to join women in leading a nation, if they were not given a meaningful partnership in economic and political issues and succumbed to crime and drugs they "not only destroy their individual futures, they destroy all our futures''.

Mr. Ramey said there were several key issues to be addressed including the quality of life for young black people and the need for non-violent social change through training and study.

He added: "While we must honour outstanding young men, we must also affirm that every young person has the capacity to make a positive difference in the world.''