President Irfaan Ali says legacy of African ancestors lives on through nation building

President Irfaan Ali has paid tribute to the resilience, sacrifice and enduring legacy of African ancestors while urging Guyanese to continue building a nation founded on unity, equality and shared prosperity. In his Emancipation Day 2026 message, the President extended greetings to Guyanese at home and abroad, describing the observance as an opportunity to honour those who endured the atrocities of the transatlantic slave trade and slavery without surrendering their dignity or desire for freedom. “Today, we pay homage to the resistance, resolve, resourcefulness and resilience of our African ancestors in the face of the most abominable system ever known to mankind,” the President said. Reflecting on the significance of Emancipation, President Ali said freedom marked the beginning of a new chapter, with formerly enslaved Africans working to achieve economic empowerment and self-determination. He highlighted the Village Movement as one of the defining achievements of post-emancipation Guyana, noting that African-Guyanese pooled their resources to purchase land and establish villages that became centres of resilience, culture and nation-building. The President also recognised the contributions of African-Guyanese across multiple sectors, including education, entrepreneurship, agriculture, mining, sports, the arts, politics and the professions, describing their achievements as central to Guyana’s development. “Their contributions are the very pillars upon which modern Guyana stands,” he stated. President Ali said the determination of African ancestors should continue to inspire present and future generations, particularly in overcoming adversity through unity rather than division. “They did not allow tragedy to harden their hearts into hatred. Instead, they transformed their sorrow into solidarity and their pain into purpose,” he said. He urged Guyanese to reject division and work together to build a society grounded in mutual respect, genuine equality and shared prosperity. “The greatest honour we can pay to them is in the work we do to create a society rooted in mutual respect, genuine equality, and shared prosperity. It is in the bridges we build across every divide,” the President said. Concluding his message, President Ali called on citizens to continue building “a Guyana that is truly free, truly prosperous, and just” while expressing hope that the resilience and vision of African ancestors would continue to guide the nation. “My best wishes to all on this Emancipation Day 2026,” he said.