Today, as we observe Arrival Day 2025, we pause to reflect on a defining aspect of our national journey—the invaluable contributions of those immigrants who came before us. They came with little but gave us so much.
This day honours the foreparents who arrived on these shores, following Emancipation, most as indentured labourers. Their arrival was not just a matter of circumstance or history. It is built upon the contributions of those who were here before, and it helped to lay the foundation for the Guyana we know today.
Most came and stayed and made this land their home. They toiled on plantations, cultivated the land, built villages, founded institutions, and gave us traditions, foods, languages, and values that enriched our national character. They endured hardships and injustices, but they also forged bonds, adapted to new realities, and helped fashion a multiethnic society.
May 5th this year also marks the 187th anniversary of the arrival of the first batch of East Indian indentured immigrants to Guyana—a moment of profound historical significance. As we honour all who arrived on these shores, we pay special tribute today to our East Indian foreparents and their descendants, whose spirit and sacrifices continue to propel national development.
This year, however, as we commemorate Arrival Day, we do so not only to look back but to urge a deeper recommitment to the future we wish to build—a future where all Guyanese, regardless of race, heritage, religion, or background, can feel a sense of belonging, pride, and purpose. No heritage must feel hidden. No voice must feel unheard.
In many parts of the world today, we are witnessing a rise in intolerance and discrimination against immigrants. People who have built nations, powered economies, and enriched cultures are being targeted, vilified, and excluded. Let us never make that mistake. Let us cherish each other and uplift one another
Here in Guyana, let us continue to celebrate and value the sacrifices and contributions of all of our people. We are proud of our multicultural character. Diversity is not our weakness—it is our greatest strength.
As such, let us use this day to not only honour all Guyanese, past and present, but to chart a course that upholds the values that have served us well—hard work, unity, dignity, and fairness. Let us strive for a society where no one is left behind, where every community has a voice, and where every citizen has a place at the table. In the Guyana we are building, all must be recognised and respected.
We must continue to build a One Guyana in which everyone benefits from the bounty of our land and waters, from the promise of development and transformation, and from the opportunities that are being created across every region and sector. Prosperity must not be a privilege—it must be a right.
One Guyana means ensuring that Indigenous peoples are not forgotten or left behind. It means supporting African-Guyanese and Indo-Guyanese communities not just with words but with real investment and engagement. It means recognising the contributions of our European, Portuguese, Chinese, and mixed-heritage brothers and sisters, and ensuring that all are embraced and regarded as part of our national family.
This land has enough room for all of us—not just to live, but to thrive.
The bounty of Guyana is not merely the wealth of our oil, gold, or rice. It is also the wealth of our human capital, our diverse traditions, our creative expressions, and our spirit of endurance. It is a bounty that must be shared equitably and sustainably. And it must be accompanied by mutual respect and recognition for each other’s histories and contributions.
Today, therefore, is not a day only of remembrance—it is a day of responsibility. We honour our foreparents best not just by recalling their struggles, but by carrying forward their dreams of justice, equality, and dignity for all. Let us build a Guyana where no one is made to feel like a stranger in their own land, and where every child, regardless of their community, can aspire to greatness.
Happy Arrival Day, Guyana. Let us move forward together—united, determined, and committed to a future in which everyone belongs.
Mohamed Irfaan Ali
President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana
