ERC Harmony Tour takes 51 participants across Essequibo faith, heritage sites

The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) on Wednesday concluded the Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) leg of its Harmony Tour, taking 51 participants, including 43 children and eight parents and guardians, to sites of religious, historical and cultural significance across Region Two.
The tour included visits to Badrinaath Ashram at Spring Garden, St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Queenstown and the Anna Regina Mosque, where participants were introduced to the beliefs, practices and customs of the respective faith communities.
At Badrinaath Ashram, participants viewed the 50-foot murti of the Hindu deity Shiva, described by the ERC as the largest Shiva murti in South America.
The group then travelled to St Bartholomew’s Anglican Church in Queenstown, a historic village purchased by emancipated Africans in 1841, before proceeding to the Anna Regina Mosque, which was completed in the 1930s and now houses the Al Madina Islamic Academy within the same compound.
The children were briefed on appropriate conduct and courtesies before entering each place of worship. The ERC said, for several participants, it was their first time visiting a place of worship associated with a faith other than their own.
ERC Chairman Shaikh Moeenul Hack said the experience demonstrated the importance of understanding and respecting different cultures and religions.
“Harmony does not begin when we agree on everything; it begins when we take the time to understand one another,” Hack said.
He added that by entering unfamiliar places, listening to people of different faiths and learning about their traditions, young people could develop greater respect for one another.
The tour also included visits to the Aurora Chimney in Zeelandia and the Damon Monument in Anna Regina, allowing participants to learn about aspects of Essequibo’s history.
At Mainstay/Whyaka, participants were welcomed into a titled Arawak village, where they learned about the community’s Indigenous heritage. They also observed demonstrations of cassareep and cassava bread production, along with other products being produced and sold by the community.
The ERC said parents, guardians and children expressed appreciation for the initiative, with some guardians describing it as an opportunity they had previously been unable to provide for their children.
The Commission thanked the Region Two Regional Democratic Council for providing transportation and the Guyana Police Force for assisting with the safe movement of participants.
It also acknowledged the religious leaders, tour guides and institutions that hosted the group, with special appreciation extended to Toshao Marsha Williams and the people of Mainstay/Whyaka.
The Harmony Tour will conclude with its Berbice leg today.