The Department of Social Cohesion, in collaboration with the Region 4 Regional Democratic Council, on Tuesday held a lecture series and exhibition to recognise the contributions of persons of African descent to the history of Guyana.
Officers from the Department of Youth on Tuesday coordinated a series of lectures in observance of Black History Month at the Beterverwagting Secondary School.
According to Regional Executive Officer Pauline Lucas, the presentations focused on the crucial role of education in the history of African Guyanese.
The women who were given the Outstanding Women in Region Four awards. In picture from left: Regional Executive Officer Pauline Lucas, Tiffany Harvey, and Regional Chairperson Jennifer Allen
Aspects of African culture and heritage, including slavery, colonization and the village movement, were also part of the discussions.
Caricom IKEMBA representative, Onika Frank, while delivering brief remarks, encouraged the students to be proud of their culture and ancestry.
Students from five secondary schools on the East Coast of Demerara attended lectures on Guyana’s African heritage, done by representatives from the African Community Development Association.
Three women were also given “Outstanding Women in Region 4 awards”: Tiffany Harvey, Pauline Lucas and Jennifer Allen. These awards were presented by Alister Collins, Executive Director of the President’s Youth Award: Republic of Guyana (PYARG).
The schools that attended the session yesterday were: L.B.I Secondary, Bladen Hall Secondary, Buxton Secondary, Plaisance Secondary and Beterverwaging Secondary.
For the African Guyanese community, Black History Month is usually a time for sober reflection on the state of the community. This is of course not a new call; it is repeated at every moment of Black observance
Persons of African ancestry all over the world continue to suffer from the scars of a history of bondage. It is for that reason that Black History Month continues to have great relevance.
