TO PROMOTE HARMONY FOR 60TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY
By:Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News|
HGP Nightly News – The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) has launched a poetry, song and social media competition geared towards promoting harmony and tolerance among Guyanese, as part of the country’s 60th Independence Anniversary celebrations.
Head of the ERC’s Public Education and Awareness Unit, Mr. Dwijendra Rooplall, in a sit-down with HGP Nightly News, outlined the activities planned by the Commission to mark Guyana’s diamond jubilee.
“We have two competitions — the National Poetry and Song Competition, which the Ethnic Relations Commission is currently executing,” Rooplall said.
The National Poetry and Song Competition is open to school children in two categories: poetry, for students between the ages of 7 and 11, and song, for those between the ages of 12 and 16. Rooplall said the competitions aim to promote harmony and good relations, which in the Commission’s view are best cultivated by working with children, as this would proliferate greater tolerance — if not in the short term, then certainly in the long term — and build respect for all.
He said the significance of Guyana’s 60th year as a nation cannot be understated. The theme for the National Poetry and Song Competition is “United as One: Celebrating 60 Years of Guyana’s Diversity and Strength.”
The ERC is expecting originality across all submissions, and Rooplall stressed that the use of artificial intelligence will automatically disqualify any entry.
“It’s open to any genre that they feel comfortable doing. We don’t have it locked into anything,” he added, noting that submissions will be featured on the ERC’s social media platforms to showcase Guyana’s culture, diversity and national strength.
Alongside the children’s competition, the Commission has also opened a separate social media category. While the children’s track carries its own prizes, the open social media competition is available to all Guyanese — at home or abroad — who are not related to any member of the ERC.
“There’s no age limitation with respect to this one. So adults, teenagers, whomever — anyone who has access to a phone [can enter],” Rooplall said.
He explained that using social media as the delivery channel was deliberate, since the platform is also where much hate speech is found, making it the right place to push back with positive messaging.
Submissions in the open category are expected to be between 30 and 45 seconds in length, and should focus on the theme “60 Years of Heritage, Reflection and Respect.”
Additional information can be found on the ERC’s social media pages, and participants are encouraged to follow the competition guidelines to be in the running for one of the cash prizes.
