“Embracing our history, showcasing our cultural diversity” was the theme for the Heritage Exhibition hosted on Wednesday at the New Amsterdam Town Hall in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). Speaking at the event, Minister of Social Cohesion with responsibility for Youth, Culture, and Sport, Dr. George Norton, told students, “This must not be the first and last of such an exhibition”, for it gives them a chance to be properly informed and to appreciate the country’s rich, diverse culture. Minister Norton also announced an administration decision to have the upcoming Independence celebrations “conducted at the level
The gathering at the one day Heritage Exhibition
of schools”; and “youths will play a vital part”, he declared.
The Ministry of the Presidency’s Department of Social Cohesion collaborated with the New Amsterdam Social Cohesion Ambassadors Group to host the one-day exhibition, which saw participation of a total of seven (7) schools in the region. Regional Health Officer Jevon Stephens commended the ministry for work done thus far, and lauded the New Amsterdam Social Cohesion Ambassadors Group for taking up the initiative. “It’s not easy to bridge the gaps in Guyana, but we have moved leaps and bounds so far. These initiatives ensure that youths understand, and play a role in developing, their communities”, Stephens explained. Regional Executive Officer Kim Williams-Stephens urged that youths have “pride and dignity as a Guyanese person”.
There were booths on different cultural aspects of Guyana’s post and pre-Independence eras, including infrastructure and presidents over the years.
This is the first such activity to be held in the East Berbice-Corentyne Region, but the New Amsterdam Social Cohesion Ambassadors Group plans to have several such activities throughout the year.
