National pride must be lived daily – Pres Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali has urged all Guyanese to reflect on their role in fostering national pride, emphasizing that it must be lived every day and not merely celebrated on national occasions.
He made this announcement during the 56th Republic Day celebration, which was kicked off with a flag-raising ceremony on Sunday.
“These are two things I call upon you, every Guyanese, including myself, to look with a conscience and to ask ourselves: Are we part of national pride? Are we part of building national pride? Are we part of enhancing national pride? And what is this national pride? We are building a society. Indeed, we must build one where national pride is not a slogan shouted on national days, but a sacred trust lived every day.”
The President called for the continual uplifting of the nation, emphasizing that every citizen has a role to play in national development.
He stated that the nation must be lifted every day, along with each other, and that the “golden arrowhead” and the people’s heads must tower toward the future, guided by a shared understanding that national pride is essential for nation-building.
He stressed that national pride is not the possession of any one individual or political party but belongs to all citizens. “National pride is the essence of nationhood, the essence of citizenship, and the essence of what makes us different,” the President said, highlighting that it is this pride that defines Guyanese identity.
The president further connected national pride to environmental stewardship, urging citizens to safeguard the country’s rivers, forests, biodiversity, and agricultural lands with the same vigilance as its borders. He emphasized that keeping the environment clean is a vital expression of this pride.
“[National Pride] is about us presenting the cleanest Guyana, the safest Guyana, the most beautiful Guyana. It is about us showcasing a Guyana in which the life of its people is felt in its environment. The values of its people are felt in every corner of our country. The patriotism of its people is felt in every word we speak about our country. It is felt every time we make a post about our country. That national pride is non-negotiable.”
Concreting his views, the head of state made it clear that that national pride belongs to all Guyanese and that its responsibility must be shared equally. He described a pride grounded in shared prosperity, where growth and development reach every community, village, and home, providing citizens with access to state services that enhance their lives and families.
He said that national pride also thrives in community harmony, where neighborly love and national unity serve as the cornerstones of Guyanese identity.
The president further noted that the nation’s common heritage should unite rather than divide, and that the collective protection of the land is a shared covenant. He concluded that these principles are non-negotiable and essential for truly understanding and living the essence of being Guyanese.
He stressed that the republic is grounded in faith, belief in God, and the values that flow from that faith, including empathy, compassion, gentleness, and love for one another. The President noted that these are not “soft virtues” but the steel beams of a strong nation. He added that empathy turns strangers into neighbors, while compassion transforms power into service.
Meanwhile, while lending his perspective on the ideology that virtues such as gentleness and love are central to nation-building, he outlined for Guyanese the prosperity it can bring to Guyana’s nation-building.
“Gentleness tempers strength with wisdom. Love converts diversity into destiny.”
He called on citizens to actively contribute to the growth of the republic, declaring, “Let it be said of us that we did not merely inherit a republic, we made it better. Let it be known that we did not simply occupy a land, we lifted it. And let it be remembered that in building our nation, we build each other.”