Unite, set aside differences
Acting President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge play phagwah with other celebrants at the Baridi House, State House on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)
Acting President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge play phagwah with other celebrants at the Baridi House, State House on Sunday (Samuel Maughn photo)

— Greenidge tells State House Phagwah celebration

ACTING President Carl Greenidge has called on Guyanese to embrace the true meaning of national festivals by setting aside differences and uniting as one.
He made the appeal at the annual Ministry of the Presidency Phagwah programme on Sunday.

The celebration was held at the Baridi House at State House and saw attendance of several members of parliament, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the Hindu community and other invited guests.

Among those in attendance were Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland; Minster within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings; Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr. George Norton; Minister within the Ministry of Finance Jaipaul Sharma and Member of Parliament Michael Carrington.

Also present were US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch and her husband Dr. Kevin Healy and High Commissioner of India to Guyana, Venkatachalam Mahalingam.
The significance of phagwah was demonstrated in song, dance, prayer and drama.
Hailing the event as a celebration of Guyana’s rich multi-culturism, Greenidge expressed his pleasure to be a part of the “ancient and sacred festival” centred on the celebration of good over evil.

He reminded the gathering that the phagwah, also called ‘Holi’, also celebrates fertility and the season of love for all.

“Phagwah is intended to be a unifying festival. It is a time in which barriers of age, class, race and sex are disregarded and when everyone can come together and be happy,” Greenidge said, urging: “At this time we should therefore set aside differences and misunderstandings.”

The acting President told the visitors that the festival’s underlying message of harmony challenges persons to do away with disunity, disaffection and division.

He noted that President David Granger, since his inauguration, has made it his duty to host various observances of the country’s major religions at State House, as a form of respect.

“Despite our problems and challenges, we have been able to weld a united nation from these great cultural strands. Events such as the one we’re hosting today help to foster religious tolerance and to promote inclusiveness by ensuring that every major religious and ethnic group is afforded respect and recognition,” the acting President said.

At the celebrations, sacred hymns were sung by Prabhu Dev and members of the Hare Krishna Study Centre; Dhanraje Haimraj and members of the Windsor Forest Arya Samaj Temple; Pandit Sunil Sharma and members of the Radha Krishna Mandir and the members of the Kala Niketan Temple.

There were also dances by students of the St. Joseph’s High School Hindu Society; a skit on Holi and Prahalad from ISKCON and other presentations from the students of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan.
Phagwah will be celebrated as a public holiday in Guyana on Thursday.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.