THE rich cultural heritage of the region was on full display when CARICOM Youth Ambassadors presented ‘cultural night’ on June 6, at Umana Yana, Kingston, Georgetown on Tuesday.
The presentations from the ambassadors included folk songs and dances, poems, visual presentations as well as contemporary songs and dances.
The cultural presentations aside from being entertaining, provided insight into the history of individual Caribbean states and underscored similarities between them.

It was highlighted that Caribbean states share similar history and culture and this is transmitted through the use of drums, songs and dance.
The youth ambassadors were drawn from 13 CARICOM states and the associate states. The countries represented are Guyana, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Montserrat, Suriname, Anguilla and the Cayman Islands.
They are in Guyana to participate in a four-day Orientation and Capacity Building seminar being held at the CARICOM Secretariat at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
Minister within the Ministry of Education with responsibility for Culture, Youth and Sport, Nicolette Henry said it is first time Guyana has hosted the youth ambassadors.
While giving brief remarks, she implored the young people to garner as much knowledge as they can while here but nonetheless ensure that they would enjoy networking with each other, and of course, enjoy Guyana.
“I trust that the four days of workshop will be very useful as you develop into leaders,” the minister said.
Director of Youth, Melissa Carmichael Haynes who also addressed the ambassadors before the start of their cultural exchange, affirmed that the importance of youth to a nation cannot be overemphasised.
“Each of you have been called to serve and as you fulfil this noble task, keep in mind that you are preparing the path that many will follow,” Haynes stressed, pointing out that they must be role models to those in their countries and the wider region.

The four-day seminar which commenced on Monday and concludes today features interactive sessions, including panel discussions involving key CARICOM Secretariat staff and representatives of international development partners.
This seminar was tailored to equip the youth ambassadors from each member state with the knowledge to effectively execute their mandate as a youth leader in CARICOM.
Additionally, the youths will be able to build their capacities for advocacy and action in various international and regional mandates, plans and programmes in a wide range of youth related issues, such as the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME), the CARICOM Youth Development Action Plan, (CYDAP) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
A draft action plan for the period 2017-2019 which clearly identifies mechanisms through which CYAs will mobilise other youth, advance different regional mandates and greater understanding among themselves for increased advocacy, will also be developed.
The seminar is supported by the CARICOM Secretariat, the Government of Guyana, The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).