President Ali calls for a Guyana where every child belongs

On the sacred morning of Phagwah, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali addressed the nation, urging citizens to unite and build a Guyana where “every child” and adult alike belongs regardless of their race or religion.

He delivered the address from his official residence on Main Street in Georgetown, as Guyanese nationwide prepares to converge in the spirt of Holi.

Throughout his address, the president emphasised that the colours of Phagwah symbolise unity and not division.

“When we gather in the streets…we are not merely playing,” he said. “We are performing a sacred truth that beneath the powder, beneath the skin, beneath every label that the world has taught us to wear, we are one.”

President Ali urged Guyanese to build a society where differences do not define a person’s opportunities or sense of belonging.

“Let us build a Guyana where the colour of a child’s skin matters less than the colour of their dreams. Where the texture of their hair is not a measure of their worth, but simply part of the infinite variety of human beauty,” the president stated.

The president expressed gratitude to the Hindu community for preserving the richness of the festival across generations. He said the tradition have taught Guyanese that it is not merely a celebration but “that good shall always triumph over evil.”

President Ali also extended warm welcome to members of the diaspora who have returned home to take part in the celebrations.

“You’re like the returning tide…your presence completed our circle,” he said.

He extended Phagwah greetings to all Guyanese, wishing that their lives be drenched in joy, their hearts filled with love and that the country built together be worthy of the beauty created together during the festival of colours.