Prime Minister Samuel Hinds says the nation’s youth need to cultivate a greater interest in their history in order to challenge themselves to surpass those achievements. He was speaking at the National Trust’s exhibition held at the National Museum on Monday evening.
“Our young people need to have the feeling, to have the realization that the society that they are born into, that they meet, did not just happen, but it is the outcome of hard work and the creation of individuals and historical circumstances,” he said. According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, the prime minister added that young people must be encouraged to examine their history so that “They can hopefully perceive that these are the achievements of the people of the past, perceive this and challenge themselves to surpass these efforts.”
The release said that among the notable displays is one that draws attention to many heritage buildings lost to fire.
In his address, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr Frank Anthony warned that “If we don’t preserve our heritage then it can be easily erased.”
The minister lamented that Guyanese do not give as much attention to their cultural heritage as it deserves and in order to remedy this, the ministry has facilitated activities such as this exhibition.
The exhibition is being held under the theme ‘Embracing Heritage, Sustaining Identity,’ and it forms part of a series of events planned in observance of the National Trust’s Heritage Celebration 2011. It displayed Guyana’s socio-cultural, industrial and agricultural heritage, through pictures, artefacts and models. CEO of the National Trust of Guyana, Nirvana Persaud said it aims to sensitize the nation about its rich and diverse culture and how it has shaped lives. It “seeks to evoke ‘long time’ memories among elders, provide historical insights to the younger generation of Guyana’s Heritage past and present,” she said.
Persaud also noted that if Guyana does not conserve important parts of its historic environment it will become harder for future generations to understand and appreciate their past and this will impoverish their quality of life.
According to GINA, the exhibition will run until October 15.
A public lecture on Guyana and the launch of a special heritage publication are among a number of activities that will be held during this period.
