The Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC), in partnership with the Ministry of Education, today launched the first-ever Harmony Club at Stella Maris Primary School, an initiative aimed at promoting peace, respect, and unity among pupils.
The programme, which seeks to create a safe and inclusive environment for pupils of all races and religions, is part of a pilot project that will be rolled out in ten schools across Region Four before expanding nationwide next year. The initiative is designed to positively influence pupils, their families, and the wider community.
At the launch, ERC Chairman Shaikh Hack underscored the importance of the programme. “We think it is important. It will have the impact not only on the student population here, but their families and friends. The main objective of the establishment of the Harmony Club is to nurture the values of peace, love, unity, respect for each other,” he said.
He added that many pupils learn these values at home or in places of worship, and the Harmony Club complements this by providing a safe and creative space for students to learn about each other and live together, irrespective of differences in race or religion.
“This pilot project is for 10 schools in Region Four. This, of course, Stella Maris being the first. Currently, we are speaking with the administration of the nine others, and we would like this to be concluded before the end of this year, 2025, so that we can learn from this as we expand this programme now to the other schools of our country, in the other regions of Guyana,” he said.
A section of the gathering at the launch
