Leaders from a wide cross-section of the religious community have agreed to participate in a National Day of Prayer that is to be observed today.
The pledge was made after they had a virtual meeting with Minister of Human Services and Social Security Dr Vindhya Persaud on Friday.
In a press statement last evening, the ministry explained that the meeting was organised as it was recognised that there was an urgent need to partner with the leaders to help the most vulnerable and foster peace, love and unity within the nation. This comes against the background of recent unrest along the West Berbice, which was triggered by the murders of teenage cousins Isaiah and Joel Henry.
During the meeting, the ministry noted, leaders candidly expressed their concerns to Dr Persaud on the difficult period being experienced in Guyana and made recommendations to forge harmony throughout the nation.
“From the discussion, a Support and Heal Network was established to engender continuous dialogue and programmes that will benefit the most vulnerable, drawing on the experiences of the religious community to foster love and unity,” Persaud was quoted as saying.
It was noted that the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security will host a religious programme, “A Day of Prayer: Love, Peace and Unity,” from 10 am on its Facebook page (https://www.facebook. com/mohsssgy), where the religious representatives will offer messages of peace to promote national love and harmony.
Additionally, the ministry committed to support the religious organisations, by offering training programmes in critical areas, including domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Representatives from the Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Bahá’í and other faiths participated in the virtual meeting, the ministry noted.
