72 community groups trained in diversity education and inclusion

– Social Cohesion Ministry urging more groups to get onboard

DPI, Guyana, Monday, September 24, 2018

Seventy-two groups from the ten administrative regions were trained in diversity education and inclusion during the period 2016-2018 by the Ministry of Social Cohesion.

This confirmed by the Ministry’s, Coordinator, Sharon Patterson during the Dochfour/Greenfield Harmony Group annual prize-giving ceremony at Ann’s Grove, East Bank Demerara. This group was the first to benefit from the training programme in 2016.

The training sessions are intended to inform and equip persons at the community level to better understand the country’s diversity. Patterson further explained that the initiative also teaches persons how they can resolve their differences and work together, whilst realizing their individual roles in the process.

She said, “The training is not an ending in itself, it is a means towards an end and as we say to all persons receiving the training, you have to demonstrate that you understand what it is to bring a group together to work for the common good.”

Following the training, several groups have been organising events ranging from medical outreaches, literacy camps, bursary awards and relay fests. Patterson noted, “Many of the groups came back to us because they want to show how they can contribute to social cohesion within their areas. We are willing to support these activities. In the case of the medical outreaches, we contacted the Ministry of Public Health to partner with those persons to set up their tents to bring communities together to get medical assistance.”

Patterson stated, “this is the cohesion we are speaking about and the ministry is there to foster and embrace it.”

Social cohesion is a process of nurturing individual and community relationships, Patterson further explained. She said the Government’s long-term vision for cohesion, will see citizens embracing each other’s differences, conflicts being resolved and networks and collaborations being realised.

Synieka Thorne.

Image: Karime Peters.