Anglican Diocese of Guyana observes 175th Anniversary with Youth Festival on International Youth Day 2017

DPI, GUYANA, Saturday, August 12, 2017

The Anglican Diocese of Guyana which includes Suriname and French Guyana is observing its 175^th anniversary since its establishment as a Diocese in the Provence of the West Indies.

Its Youth Festival on Saturday garnered much positive response from youths and agencies involved. This is the first event held among the many activities planned in observation of the Anglican Church’s anniversary. The Youth Festival was held on the lawns of Austin House, High and Barrack Street, Kingston.

Chairperson of the Planning Committee Monsel Alves expressed his gratitude towards the agencies and persons whose sponsorship made the event possible. “August 27 will be our Anniversary Mass which will be starting at 3:00 pm at Christ Church and everyone is invited … while on October 20 will be our black tie affair, dinner and ball where we are really looking forward to that time of fellowship where we get the chance to dance and encourage each other”.

Alves added that the church also planned to hold a family fun and sport day which is slated for November11, 2017.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) and a member of the planning committee, Schemel Patrick explained that the church decided to commemorate its anniversary on this date since its International Youth Day 2017 which is dedicated to celebrating young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace.  The Diocese Youth Festival is being celebrated under the International Youth Day theme “Youth Building Peace. International Youth Day was endorsed in 1999 by the General Assembly through a recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth.

“This event is designed just for the youths to come out, have a good time and hopefully participate in the activities, to learn from the different organizations. We will also have a cooking competition where the dish being done is Meta-Gee since we are still in the month when Emancipation Day is celebrated,” Patrick said

Activities start from 11:00 hours to 16:00 hours for booth participation and exhibition and 16:00 hours to 18:00 hours for the cultural extravaganza which includes music and a fashion show.

Representative of Republic Bank, one of the sponsors of the event, Javed Khan told the Department of Public

Information (DPI) that the corporation’s involvement in the Diocese Youth Festival is in keeping with the corporation’s agenda to support youth development.

“We (Republic Bank) not only believe in supporting the festival financially but we are hoping to come on board and to interact with those present (youths) and help them, whether to open their own account, of course with the authority of their parents but those who are hoping to further their education through us,” Khan explained.

Agencies such as Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Adolescent Health Unit attached to Ministry of Public Health, Sexual Reproductive Health Right’s Group were among attractions. While other agencies like Republic bank, Qualfon Incorporated, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry, Austin Bookstore sponsored or joined the festival.

The Anglican Diocese of Guyana was founded on August 24, 1842 with the ordination and consecration of the Right Reverend William Austin as Bishop of Guyana and St. George’s Cathedral as the seat of the Bishop. The St. George’s Cathedral is located in Georgetown and is one of Guyana’s national monuments and one of the tallest wooden churches in the world, at a height of 43.5 meters (143 feet).

The Anglican Church has played an important role in the development of Guyana especially the development of youths and education which led to the establishment of Queens College, Bishops High School, Christ Church Secondary and St Ambrose among other primary and secondary schools throughout Guyana.

 

By: Neola Damon