Harmony Village movement reaches New Amsterdam
DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, July 6, 2017
The New Amsterdam Harmony Group and the Ministry of Social Cohesion on Wednesday hosted Berbice’s first ever Harmony Village- New Amsterdam Culture Fest.
“This Harmony village is not just a Harmony Village Day nor is it just a Harmony village fest….it is a movement that is developing at the grassroots of our society,” Acting President, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo stated in his feature address.
Acting President, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo cutting the ribbon to open Harmony Village in New Amsterdam Berbice along with Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton.
Minister of State Joseph Harmon, Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton, Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jaipaul Sharma, Mrs. Sita Nagamootoo and Regional Officials attended the fest which was held at Matthew Allen Road (Stelling Road) in New Amsterdam, Berbice. The event saw booths with local businesses showcasing their goods and services, cultural songs, skits and poems.
The Prime Minister explained that, “We are unique in this world, “Guyana is the land of six people; Indigenous, African, East Indian, Chinese, Portuguese and Mixed. “Our diversity is our strength…our beauty…and our differences breathe respect,” the acting President said, “We must learn to build a level of tolerance to respect each other,” Guyanese do not want to only live, “but they want to coexist peacefully together.”
The Prime Minister said that, “Guyana is taking social cohesion to the Caribbean,” he was at the time referencing
President David Granger’s keynote address at the 38th annual CARICOM Heads of Government Conference in Grenada. The President pointed out that there is “uncertainty all around us in the world as to how the world develops,” regarding the issue of Climate change and Brexit, Granger said that you cannot play around with major issues that confront humanity. “The way out of uncertainty is for the Caribbean to merge closer, to work closer,” and that Nagamootoo said, “is taking the message of harmony, of social cohesion from Guyana into the Caribbean.”
Nagamootoo commended Minister Norton and the New Amsterdam Harmony Group for bringing the movement to Berbice. He also urged citizens to embrace being Guyanese and be proud of our culture.
Minister of Social Cohesion Dr. George Norton also commended the New Amsterdam Harmony Group and explained that the members were trained last November in diversity and inclusion workshop by the Ministry of Social Cohesion. He said it is the Ministry’s hope that the group will keep up this momentum and continue aiding in the fostering of social cohesion in the community.
Minister Norton noted that, “Other regions have shown interest in hosting a Harmony Village.”
By: Zanneel Williams
