THE Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Centre for Cultural Development in the Field Programme 2011 yesterday gifted Merundoi Incorporated with a US$5,000  support grant for its cultural programmes.
At the presentation, IDB Operations Specialist, Ms. Leslie-Ann Edwards told the gathering, at its High Street, Kingston, Georgetown office, that she was handing over the cheque on behalf of the Country Representative, Mr. Marco Nicola.
She said it is to fund the Merundoi  project entitled ‘Youth Development for Cultural Preservation,’ the objective of which is to facilitate the restoration and preservation of Guyana’s cultural heritage.
“This will be done by empowering young people with the knowledge and skills to be a catalyst of cultural awareness and sustainability,” Edwards added, stating that the IDB Cultural Centre is honoured to collaborate with Merundoi, which recognises the need to stimulate, promote and preserve Guyana’s cultural heritage through the performing arts.
She recalled that the IDB Cultural Centre was created in 1992 to advance the concept of culture as an integral component of development, with two primary objectives.
One is to contribute to social development by administering a grant programme for small-scale cultural projects in the region with positive social impact and two, to promote a better image of the IDB member countries, with emphasis on Latin America and the Caribbean, through their cultural expressions.
Edwards said the programme is an extension of the activities of the IDB cultural centre, which works to enhance the bank’s leadership role in the countries’ comprehensive development processes.
She remarked that, since the establishment of the IDB Cultural Centre, 11 institutions in Guyana have benefited from grants. They are the Unversity of Guyana (1996); Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (1999); Guyana Women Artists Association (2002); Varqa Foundation (2003); Dayspring Guidance Centre and the Region 9 Development Association ( 2004); Conservation International Guyana (2005); the Arts Forum Inc.(2006); Guyana Teachers Union North Branch (2007); GuyberNet (2008); the Guyana Women Artists’ Association (2009)  and Mainstay/Whyaka Village Council (2010).
Merundoi representative, Mr. Durwin Humphrey, said that his organisation is delighted with the gift from IDB to promote arts and culture in Guyana.

Need

He confirmed there is a need for young people to be trained in that field and, as such, with the grant, they can now commence the necessary training for the youths which they are seeking after widely.
Humphrey pointed out that their training programmes were well received and that  goes to show the enthusiasm and interest of young people, who, after training, will participate in the National Drama Festival in 2012.
He, however, called for more support from other agencies but thanked Theatre Guild for its support in making a difference in the lives of young people, through which they will be given an experience of a lifetime in the form of their training.
Merundoi will train 40 youths in innovative cultural ‘Communication Methods’ and 15 other young scriptwriters in ‘Playwriting and Stage Production’, focusing mainly on the Performing Arts.
Humphrey said Merundoi recognises the need to stimulate, promote and preserve Guyana’s cultural heritage through performing arts and several workshops are planned, specifically to acquaint participants with the basic skill of playwriting for stage and to develop young play writers locally.
In addition, a series of one act plays, by new writers, will also be produced. The workshops on stage production will expose youths with various skills and techniques, such as directing, stage management, sound, lights, sets design, sets construction, properties and costume design, hair and make-up, marketing and publicity.