A man in a blue suit and light blue tie stands smiling in front of a flag with an intricate design. The text "Hon. Philip Davis KC, MP Prime Minister, The Bahamas" is written in the upper right corner.
McCarthy Lectures

2023-Prime Minister Philip Davis Delivers the 17th Annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture

December 11, 2023
Stephen B. Humphrey Theater

December 11, 2023 | McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement | College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University

The McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement was proud to host a truly historic event on December 11, 2023, as Bahamian Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis became the first sitting head of government to visit the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University.

A Digital Mosaic: A Photo and Timeline Journey Through CSB, SJU and The Bahamas

Delivering the 17th Annual Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture, Prime Minister Davis joined a distinguished roster of past speakers. The evening also honored the remarkable decades-long partnership between these Benedictine institutions and the Bahamas, a relationship that has produced over 1,500 Bahamian alumni who have returned home as judges, senators, educators, and business leaders.

True to the spirit of Eugene McCarthy, who famously stood up to his own party and president to speak an inconvenient truth, Prime Minister Davis delivered an urgent and unsparing call to action on climate change. Drawing on the Bahamas’ firsthand experience with Hurricane Dorian, a catastrophic storm with gusts exceeding 220 mph that caused over $3 billion in damage, Davis warned of the consequences of continued global inaction. He cautioned that without meaningful reductions in carbon emissions, the world could cross the critical 1.5°C warming threshold as early as 2027 — before the freshmen in the audience even graduate. Invoking one of Senator McCarthy’s own famous sayings — “The worst accidents occur in the middle of the road” — Davis challenged students and world leaders alike to move past half-measures and commit to transformative action.

The evening concluded with a moment of well-deserved celebration. Both the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University awarded Prime Minister Davis honorary Doctor of Laws degrees in recognition of his lifetime of public service and his enduring commitment to Bahamian education. Davis also spoke with characteristic humility about his own origins, the grandson of illiterate subsistence farmers and the son of a maid and a fireman, crediting education as the force that made his rise to the prime ministership possible. His story, and his presence on our campuses, embodied everything the McCarthy Center strives to cultivate: the courage to speak difficult truths, the commitment to the common good, and the belief that civic engagement can change the world.

The Eugene J. McCarthy Lecture Series is hosted annually by the Eugene J. McCarthy Center for Public Policy and Civic Engagement at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University. The Center honors the legacy of Saint John’s graduate and U.S. Senator Eugene J. McCarthy, whose courage, conscience, and commitment to democratic ideals continue to inspire students and leaders alike.

A large group of people in formal attire pose together on a stage in front of a black curtain, with some holding a framed document; there are empty seats visible in the foreground.
A man in a light blue suit speaks at a podium with a microphone. The podium displays the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University logos. A large black-and-white portrait is visible in the background.
A group of people, dressed in business and smart casual attire, stand together smiling in front of a McCarthy Center banner in a room with brick walls and large windows.
Four men in formal attire stand indoors, smiling and conversing. One man wears religious robes, while the others wear suits. Artworks and framed pictures hang on the wall behind them.
A smiling young man in a vest gestures toward artwork on a yellow wall while an older man beside him and others in the background watch and smile in a bright indoor setting.
Four men in formal attire stand indoors, smiling and conversing. One man wears religious robes, while the others wear suits. Artworks and framed pictures hang on the wall behind them.
A group of men, including a priest in black robes, walk through the aisle of a church with wooden pews and colorful stained glass windows. The group appears to be in conversation during a tour or visit.
A man with gray hair and a beard speaks to a group of people in an art studio. The group listens attentively, with paintings and colorful artwork visible in the background.
A group of twelve people, including men in suits and women in business or casual attire, stand side by side and smile for a group photo in front of a large projector screen in a lecture room.
A man in a dark coat stands beside a desk in an office with a mural of diverse raised hands and a globe on the wall, a Bahamas flag, and shelves with books and framed photos.