The Ministry of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport will be collaborating with non-profit, HEAL Guyana, to execute the organisation’s National Call for Peace initiative.
Spearheaded by HEAL Guyana, the project advances the fight to end racial discrimination in the country. The timing of the initiative coincides with the impending election season.
“We know that during the period of elections, tension rises among our people, and there are some persons who make every effort in creating racial mischief. To fight this scourge, we want to execute our ‘National Call for Peace’ initiative. A large part of this involves reaching out to our political leaders, reminding them of their importance in maintaining peace and calm throughout the season,” Sharon Laljee-Richard, founder of HEAL Guyana explained to Social Cohesion Minister George Norton.
According to a release from the ministry, members of HEAL Guyana met with Norton last Monday, when they discussed the initiative.
Norton expressed support for the project, stating that a major part of social cohesion deals with “partnerships that help to foster a harmonious environment conducive to achieving unity” and stating that a partnership between the entities could be beneficial to all involved.
While the minister noted that the ministry will not be able to lend financial assistance, he pledged support in other areas, inviting HEAL Guyana to be part of the ministry’s sensitisation sessions being executed across the country.
He also expressed hopes that fellow parliamentarians will “act with decorum and respect for all, leading up to the elections, whenever same is called”, the release stated.
“I also am confident in our Social Cohesion sensitization sessions as well as our Diversity Education and Inclusion trainings that continue to be hosted in all regions of Guyana. These programmes have had positive impacts at the grassroots level, and whenever an election is called, we hope that the participants of these will remember the teachings and continue to promote love for humanity, respect, inclusion and harmony among all Guyanese,” Norton was quoted as saying.
