EU Ambassador praises European cultural ties with Guyana

As the European Union celebrates 2018 as the European Year of Cultural Heritage, the EU Ambassador to Guyana, Jernej Videti? lauded the bloc’s historic cultural ties with Guyana.

Ambassador Videtič noted that Europeans across the world were celebrating their customs, traditions, and cultural aspects that they contributed to the world.
At the celebration at Duke Lodge, the diplomat praised the historic ties between his continent and Guyana as he oversaw a two-day workshop that formulated a plan for the restoration of City Hall – a Gothic Revival-style building that is widely accepted as European in origin.
Ambassador Videtič told the gathering that European historic cities and literary works would be highlighted during the many festivities that would make up the year-long observance.
“The heritage of the EU is a rich and diverse mosaic of rich creative expressions inherited from previous generations of Europeans and our legacy for those to come. It includes natural and archaeological sites and museums, monuments, artworks, historic cities, and literary works, and the knowledge and practical works of European citizens,” the Head of the EU delegation here noted.
European architecture can still be seen across Guyana to this day in City Hall, Parliament Building, the High Court and many other buildings across Georgetown, New Amsterdam, and elsewhere. The Portuguese, Dutch, and English were some of the European cultures that contributed to what Guyana is today, mainly through the movement of other peoples, both forcibly and voluntarily.
The EU notes that this year a series of initiatives and events across Europe will be held to enable people to become closer to and more involved with their cultural heritage. Guyana Times learnt that even digital achievements such as animation will be showcased. Ambassador Videtič noted that he launched a book on European-Guyanese heritage in 2017.
“The European Union and Guyana share a rich cultural history. Last year, I was pleased to launch with President David Granger the book aspects of the European-Guyanese heritage,” he noted.
Established in 1993, the EU currently has 28 Member States with an estimated population of over 511 million. However, that number is set to reduce with the March 2019 departure of Guyana’s former ruler, the United Kingdom after that country voted to leave the bloc after a nation-wide referendum in 2017. (Shemuel Fanfair)