National Trust of Guyana closes fourth Children’s Heritage Awareness programme
The participants of the National Trust Children’s Heritage Awareness Programme pose with the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony (back row right), CEO of the National Trust of Guyana, Nirvana Persaud (front right); Chairman of the National Trust of Guyana, Lennox Hernandez (left); and the teachers involved in the programme
The participants of the National Trust Children’s Heritage Awareness Programme pose with the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony (back row right), CEO of the National Trust of Guyana, Nirvana Persaud (front right); Chairman of the National Trust of Guyana, Lennox Hernandez (left); and the teachers involved in the programme

THE National Trust of Guyana on Friday held the closing ceremony for its fourth Children’s Heritage Awareness Programme — a week-long camp that was centred on creating in the younger generation awareness and appreciation of Guyana’s heritage. 

The National Trust Children’s Awareness Programme is part of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport summer itinerary. The National Trust works with the support of the Ministry in preserving and promoting monuments in Guyana.

Minister Dr. Frank Anthony presenting the certificate and tokens to a participant of the programme. He is assisted by the CEO of the National Trust of Guyana, Nirvana Persaud (right)
Minister Dr. Frank Anthony presenting the certificate and tokens to a participant of the programme. He is assisted by the CEO of the National Trust of Guyana, Nirvana Persaud (right)

Thirty youths in the 8-11 years’ age range participated in the awareness programme. Activities in the programme included tours to monuments and heritage sites, as well as the mangrove restoration site. The participants also benefited from basic sessions in making models, anthropology and archeology.

The Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, urged the participants of the Children’s Heritage Awareness Programme and the young generation to understand their integral role in the preservation of Guyana’s heritage and monuments.

Dr. Frank Anthony said the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has been facilitating countrywide summer camps as one of its many initiatives aimed at empowering youth. He noted that, currently, at the Walter Roth Museum, there is an ongoing camp which equips the participants with basic knowledge in archaeology.
He said that the Ministry offers programmes through the Burrowes School of Art for students who are interested in art. He also indicated that the Ministry is involved in youth camps in various communities, in which at least 6000 individuals are involved.

Dr. Anthony encouraged the youths of the Children’s Heritage Awareness Programme to participate in such programmes in order to protect Guyana’s intangible heritage. He stressed that participants of these programmes can serve as ambassadors of the heritage of Guyana, and he said that these programmes create a level of interest in the youths that they themselves would want to share to others the importance and values of Guyana’s heritage.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Trust, Ms. Nirvana Persaud, said that the Trust was immensely pleased with the progress made by the Children’s Heritage Awareness Programme to date. More has been added to the programme; this year’s programme included a written quiz from which they evaluated the participants to gauge the effectiveness of the programme, she said.

She added that the programme also served to assist the youth in completing the Social Studies syllabus in their respective schools, which includes studies on monuments.

Persaud pointed out that the programme was free of charge and was open to the public for students between the ages of eight and 11 years. She commended the youths for making the programme part of their school break, and for staying its course.

Participants who successfully completed the programme were given certificates along with tokens and information packages.

(Sandy Agasen)

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