Guyanese have maintained a proud record of respecting and tolerating each other’s religion but President David Granger is of the view that the country must move beyond tolerance to a state of mutual acceptability. The President was at the time delivering the keynote address at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre on Monday during the launch of World Interfaith Harmony Week which is being observed

under the theme, “Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbour.”
“We need to convert to higher levels of religious tolerance so that we understand and accept each other despite the differences,” the President said.
He made it clear that the State favours no particular religion over another, pointing to the fact that the Constitution of the Corporate Republic of Guyana establishes the legal framework to ensure that there is religious freedom and tolerance.
“We have a record or reputation for religious tolerance in our churches, in our mandirs, in our masjids, in our temples, in many communities; you would see these buildings standing side by side without conflicts,” President Granger said as he painted a vivid picture of the religious freedom that exist in Guyana.
However, he maintained that there is a need to promote greater understanding and trust which would see Guyanese graduating from a state of tolerance to a state of acceptance.
In an effort to achieve this objective, A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government upon entering office took a decision to strengthen its capability by establishing the Ministry of Social Cohesion and the Ministry of Social Protection.
“The Ministry of Social Cohesion, in particular, is charged with the responsibility to promote greater inclusiveness and the participation of cultural, religious, ethnic and racial groups in society. It is charged with encouraging dialogue and cooperation among faith-based organisations as we have here today. It is charged with pursuing policies that would lead to a more cohesive society, one in which there is a high degree of religious tolerance,” the President explained.

Third Vice President and Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs Sydney Allicock, Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman, Minister of Social Cohesion Amna Ally, Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson, former Minister within the Ministry of Finance Bishop Juan Edghill and Head of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Guyana Reuben Robertson were among the officials present, in addition to the school children and representatives from the Hindu, Rastafarian, Christian, Muslim and Baha’I communities.
POLITICS
Minister Trotman noted that Guyana continues to experience difficulties that are not religious in nature, but political.
“Guyana is a very religious place where approximately 85 per cent of us say that we are a member of a religious organisation,” he said, but noted that there is need for religious organisations to be better positioned to achieve a greater level of cohesion.
Mr Robertson, in delivering the UN General Secretary Ban ki-moon World Interfaith Message, said “World Interfaith Harmony Week celebrates the principles of tolerance and respect for the other that are deeply rooted in the world’s major religions.”
He explained that the observance is also a summons to solidarity in the face of those who spread misunderstanding and mistrust.
“Too many communities around the world face violence and discrimination based on their religious identity. Cowards are attacking civilians. Political figures and others are using emotive appeals to manipulate people based on their religious affiliations. Those who go down the path of violence and hatred may invoke the name of religion – but they only distort those faiths and bring shame upon themselves,” he added.

But amid these challenges, he said religious leaders and communities have immense influence. “They can be powerful forces for cooperation, learning, healing and – as you highlight today – sustainable development. They can set an example of dialogue, and unite people based on precepts common to all creeds. And they can point the way toward addressing underlying causes of disharmony, including poverty, discrimination, resource scarcity and poor governance.”
World Interfaith Harmony Week was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly on October 20, 2010, to promote mutual understanding and inter-religious dialogue.
By Svetlana Marshall