GUYANA yesterday joined the rest of the world in celebrating the United Nations International Peace Day, under the theme “Make Your Voice Heard”. The theme pays tribute to the many civil society activists who have worked tirelessly to building peace.
Yesterday, students from more than fifteen private schools from across the country gathered at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown to be a part of an International Peace Day concert organised by the Culture Ministry.
Students were treated to dances, dramatic poetry, songs and skits, all with the underlying peace theme.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Glenna Toney, Social Worker attached to the ministry, said that the concert was aimed at allowing students from different backgrounds the opportunity to work with each other and showcase their talents.
“It was a good concert and really, it was the first time for some of these students to be performing at the National Cultural Centre and they were very excited about it,” Toney said.
“We were supposed to have students from public and private schools; but because of short notice and then there is the science and technology fair tomorrow, many schools could not have made it,” she explained.
The United Nations International Day of Peace is celebrated every year on September 21, to recognise the efforts of those who have worked hard to end conflict and promote peace.

On this day, people around the world take part in various activities and organise events centred on the theme “peace”. Events vary from private gatherings to public concerts and forums involving large audiences.

People from diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds also commit to organising an International Day of Peace vigil, and some groups observe a minute of silence at noon in every time zone across the world.

The UN’s International Day of Peace is a global observance and not a public holiday; it is a day when nations around the world are invited to honour a cessation of hostilities.