CHIEF Executive Officer of the International decade for people of African descent general assembly in Guyana (IDPADA-G), Olive Sampson, has renewed a call for the government of Guyana to restore the teaching of the accurate history of all Guyanese and not just African Guyanese.

Her call came as she addressed the 32nd anniversary conference for African Civilization day observance organised by the Pan African movement in Guyana on Sunday.
She told the small gathering that the call was first made at a recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the IDPADA-G, when a motion was passed that called for the restoration of history as a part of the school curriculum in Guyana.

This, she acknowledged, remains a priority for the government, one in which she noted President David Granger has taken a personal interest.

“Not only must we work hard to ensure that this motion gets traction within government, but we must also work hard to ensure that the text used in this restored history conveys an accurate history of all Guyanese and not just African Guyanese,” she noted.
Sampson went on to tell the audience that as Africans live alongside their Indian brothers and sisters, it is crucial that they know their long history and shared heritage. This, she said, can be drawn from the historical African civilisation that thrived in the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC).

She posited that all Guyanese children must know from whence they came and not be fooled by the warped views of the conquerors and colonisers, but by the stories of brilliant civilisation Guyanese who have risen and what those civilisations have given to the world.
The anniversary, held at the Pan African garden on the Merriman Mall under the theme, “Towards the Decade of National Development,” sought to reflect on Africa’s contributions to global civilisation and history across the world dating as far back as from the year 5,000 BC to one AD and AD one onwards and to examine who the Africans are as a people.
Walking through the pages of Africa’s history, Sampson drew from the publication entitled “When we ruled,” by Robin Walker and shared with the audience glimpses of Africa as a continent and beyond.

She reminded those present that the present generation must be aware of what Africans built and their contributions to culture, science, industry and government; and that all Africans should pay attention to the breadth of Africans’ contribution to ancient cavitation and how it flourished long ago.

These contributions she noted echo through the ages and Africans must fight to honour and preserve this knowledge and pass it on to their youth.

“Be proud of what they have given the world and you should draw on that past to get the resilience and strength to battle forward,” the CEO said.

She encouraged all Africans not to let their changed fortunes paralyze them, but that they should go side by side with the work that they have to do to put them back into the position where they truly belong.

The programme began with an opening prayer done in the African ancient language Geez, a language Sampson said is still being upheld by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and used in its religious services.

She noted that the restoration of history as a part of the school curriculum in Guyana would help IDPADA-G meet its objective of teaching history.

In this vein, the IDPADA-G CEO recommended to the audience the reading of Robin Walker’s work, “When we ruled,” along with other texts and advised all Africans to let their knowledge be the weapons they use in their struggle to regain and secure their rightful place in Guyana and on the world stage.

Also in attendance were Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Karen Cummings, His Worship the Major of Georgetown Ubraj Narine, Minister of Public Health the Hon Volda Lawrence and former Mayor of Georgetown Hamilton Green, among other dignitaries.
The event had booths displaying art and craft products and on sale were sweet meats, books CDs beverages and African clothing.
Cultural presentations were also done by Gem Rohlehr and Albert Bentick.