GuyberNet receives US$7,000 from IDB entity

Aug 26, 2008 News

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Yesterday, the Cultural Centre of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) donated a US$7,000 cheque to GuyberNet to fund its project entitled “Conflict Transformation through Cultural Exchange and Training Centre.”
The presentation ceremony was done at the IDB booth at the Carifesta Youth Village in the National Park.
Commenting at the ceremony, IDB’s Records Officer Ava Yarde said the grant is awarded on a yearly basis. She also encouraged proposals from other entities.
Yarde said that the Cultural Centre of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) promotes the concept that culture is an integral component of social and economic development, while the IDB Cultural Centre contributes to the Bank’s role as a regional multilateral organization concerned with the development of Latin America and the Caribbean.
She added that its activities are carried out by four programs – Cultural Development Grants, Exhibitions, Concerts and Lectures and IDB Art Collection — with the objectives of the IDB Cultural Centre being aligned to those of the Inter-American Development Bank.
By increasing the number of beneficiaries of IDB programs, the institution is perceived by the public in positive terms through concrete achievements and results.
As stated in a press release, throughout 2007, the IDB Cultural Centre steered its efforts towards supporting and consolidating the Bank’s strategic concept of “bringing opportunities to the majority,” that was launched in June of 2006 by IDB President, Luis Alberto Moreno.
As a result, all programs and activities of the Cultural Centre were realigned with this objective, repositioning the Bank among its audiences and the clients it serves.
The IDB Cultural Centre provides financial support for cultural micro-enterprises with social and economic impacts, fostering the cultural development of communities with limited access to financing in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Projects funded include training communities surrounding archaeological sites, to assist with the preservation and management of cultural patrimony, restoration of historical sites for educational and economic purposes, establishment of literature and poetry festivals, theatre and dance training, development of cultural community centres, accessibility to computers and other equipment, acquisition of musical instruments for orchestras, books for libraries and teaching materials, implementation of craft: making workshops, among others.
The cultural development in the field program of the IDB Cultural Centre was established in 1994 to provide funding for innovative projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, to foster cultural development at the community level by means of technical training, revival of traditions, conservation of cultural heritage, and education for young people.
As stated by the Records Officer, previous years’ awards began in 1996, when the University of Guyana was awarded funding to organize a workshop series at the University to teach art professors and students methods of manufacturing art supplies using local resources, thereby eliminating expensive imports. Art teachers from throughout the country attended the workshop series.
The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport was awarded a grant in 1999 for a training course for local museum personnel on conservation techniques to complement collection, registration and cataloguing.
Also, in 2001, the ministry was awarded funding for human resources development in the museums.
In 2002, the Guyana Women Artists’ Association (GWAA) and the Harmony Theatre were awarded the grant to host the Performance Arts Training Workshop project, titled “Creative Hands in Unity: Colour and Design as a Foundation of Creativity’, encouraging young women in Essequibo, Berbice and Demerara to develop their artistic talents. Many teachers and aspiring artists benefited from this training seminar in drawing, painting and designing.
The Varqa Foundation, in 2003, was awarded the grant of US$5,000 to fund the project “Youth Can Move The World,” a one-year training program conducted by the Varqa Foundation in collaboration Lifeline Counselling, Help and Shelter, National Commission on the Rights of the Child, and the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education of the University of Guyana.
Dayspring Guidance Centre and Region 9 Indigenous Development Association both received US$5000 each as grants for the year 2004. Dayspring Guidance Centre was awarded the grant to fund the project: “Literacy and Drama,” a two-year program by specialists from Trinidad and Canada Fund.
While the Region 9 Development Association project: “Strengthening the Indigenous Culture of the People of Region 9,” focused on traditional music, dance, stories and craft for a period of one year and was conducted by the natives and personnel from Region 9 Indigenous Development Association.
For the year 2005, Conservation International Guyana was awarded US $6000 to fund the project: “Developing Cultural Tourism in Masakenyari Orientation and Capacity Building of the Wai War’, a six-month training program by the Amerindian Research Unit of the University of Guyana and Conservation International Guyana.
In the year 2006, The Arts Forum INC. was awarded US $7000 to fund the project: “The Arts Journal.”
The Arts Forum held public lectures, exhibitions and workshops which benefited students in the humanities and art programs, and will continue to seek opportunities for international exchanges for artists and scholars.
Guyana Teachers Union North Branch was awarded US$7,000 to fund the project “Revival of Music as an Art” in schools during the year 2007. The Guyana Teachers Union North Branch targeted 12 schools in Georgetown, of which the primary level, junior and senior secondary schools were included.
For more information and guidelines about the Cultural Development in Field Program, persons can uplift documentation at IDB Office, 47 High Street, Kingston, or contact Ms. Ava Yarde at email: [email protected].

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