GUYANA’S Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, was, on Friday, honoured on the occasion of International Women’s Day by the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York, at its Annual Award Ceremony.

According to a release from the Consulate General of Guyana in New York, the special ceremony was hosted at the Consulate General of India in New York.

At this year’s event, fifteen women were awarded with a Certificate of Recognition by the Society for their outstanding achievements and contribution to community empowerment in the United States. The honourees were from Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, El Salvador, Guyana, India, Kazakhstan, Nigeria, Peru, Serbia, and Türkiye.

Guyana’s awardee, Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett, was born in Moruca and she has reportedly accumulated over 20 years of experience in the public sector, working with some of the most vulnerable communities in Guyana, and in the international arena.

In 2001, Ambassador Rodrigues-Birkett became the youngest Minister in the Guyana’s Cabinet, having been appointed by then President Bharrat Jagdeo as the Minister of Amerindian Affairs.

It was noted that she created history as the first female and the youngest person to hold this office. She was later appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in April 2008, and her elevation to this office made her the highest-ranking Guyanese of Indigenous descent in the governmental hierarchy. Then, in 2009, Foreign Trade and International Cooperation was added to her portfolio.

The release explained that since its founding in 1925, the Society of Foreign Consuls in New York has represented the world’s largest diplomatic community. This unique organisation, whose members are gathered from the 113 NYC-based Consulates General, is steered by the Executive Committee made up of elected members representing all countries via regional groupings. The Society strives to promote good relations between the NYC Consular Corps and our hosts, New York and the United States of America.