The month of October is known for many things, from its celebrations of Halloween to the observance of breast cancer and many other occasions. Without undermining these other observations, we can also start to acknowledge the importance of global diversity and try to make it as celebrated as every other observation this month. Global Diversity Awareness Month has its roots in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the United Nations General Assembly launched at the Palais de Chaillot in Paris. According to National Today, “The Declaration represents the first global expression of rights to which all human beings are inherently entitled”.

That inspired the observation of Global Diversity Month or Diversity Month. I believe it should be celebrated in Guyana because it highlights each culture’s importance and how their contributions are equally positive in society. I couldn’t find many traces of its observation and pondered a bit because aren’t we one of the Caribbean’s largest multicultural societies? Guyana has such a diverse demographic with a richness of differences through our six different races, religions, beliefs and traditions. It is only fitting that a melting pot such as our country appreciates the importance of diversity and showcases it by observing such a pivotal occasion. Globalisation threatens some of the world’s most important aspects of culture—Guyana’s included.

As such, I hope that we in Guyana do not become generalised and adopt a “monocultural” approach, whether it be how we’re seen internationally or how we perceive our local Guyanese people. To say, “We’re Guyanese” means we all live in the same country and share similarities with our experiences by living in the same country. However, we must also recognise the many groups of people within our country. We should celebrate our differences and not try to merge into one. We don’t need to host grand parties or forums to celebrate Global Diversity and our role in it.

We can create safe spaces that foster connections amongst Guyanese of varying backgrounds. We can try to promote and educate others about the different cultural beliefs—whether on a local, regional or international scale. We can empathise and encourage awareness for other communities around Guyana and the world that are discriminated against. We can use this as an opportunity to help others. All social groups should be appreciated, represented and supported alike. Diversity Month can allow us to explore other cultures around the world and expand our knowledge about them. We can pull examples and explore new perspectives about togetherness in multicultural societies that we can eventually indigenise and utilise in our communities. We can also share our cultural identities with others and promote who we are to the world.

I know you’ll probably say that many of us do these things every day, so a specific month shouldn’t matter. You’re probably correct, but it doesn’t hurt to include even more celebratory events and educational experiences. We ought to use every opportunity to ensure that togetherness is at the forefront of everything we do as a nation—Diversity Month and its observation included.