Activity: Film and discussion series
Host: Moray House Trust
Date: Thursday 8th January 2015
The first session of a five part series took place at Moray House Trust on the second Thursday in January. “Race: A Guided Discussion” is a knowledge-sharing event facilitated by Dr. Paloma Mohamed, social psychologist on sabbatical from the University of Guyana and hosted by Moray House Trust. All sessions are free and open to the public.
This first session focused on the question of whether or not there is a scientific basis for the notion of “race”. After the screening of the prize winning National Geographic film, “Journey of Man”, there was a lively but moving discussion of about one and a half hours. Over forty persons from various walks of life braved the rains to attend the event held at Moray House Trust in Camp Street, Georgetown. Audience members talked about their personal experience, their own conceptions of ‘race’, and the implications of scientific findings of a common genetic basis for all humanity upon culture, history, and life.
There will be four further sessions to complete the series. The next session, entitled ‘Race: Burning the Illusion” will be held on Thursday 22nd January at Moray House Trust, 239 Camp & Quamina sts at 5.30 pm. Future sessions will examine the representation of race in Guyanese writing, issues of racism, tribalism and discrimination and whether Guyana’s multi-ethnic society can provide a positive example for the world.
