President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has emphasised the pivotal role of dynamic leadership in promoting harmonious coexistence within a culturally diverse society.
He made the statement while addressing the opening of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists’ Centre for South Asian Religions Annual Leadership Development Conference, at the Regency Hotel, Georgetown on Monday.
Guyana is made up of six different peoples with distinct languages and cultures and therefore, the president said it is within this context leadership within the church must be provided.
“Religion is the bridge to unity and the vehicle to achieving humanness…the leadership that we provide has to be very multifaceted, cross-dimensional and multifunctional because that leadership has to be adapted to every nation, every tribe, every language,” he told the religious leaders attending the event.
President Ali stressed the significance of multiculturalism and its impact on leadership in diverse environments.
To this end, he urged the Sabbath worshipers to boldly address the issue during the conference, emphasising that the complexity of these matters should not discourage them from engaging in open debates, conducting analyses, and creating comprehensive plans for effective leadership.
“In this complex environment, leadership has to be adaptable and flexible. It must be shaped by the values, principles, and foundational beliefs on which your leadership stands.
Your leaders in the church and religious community stand on something. It is not leadership by Maslow’s theory or anyone’s theory. It’s leadership that stands on a foundation because you are not leaders of a restaurant, you are leading a church that is birthed out of a religious context,” he highlighted.
Furthermore, the head of state encouraged the pastors and elders to examine the role of culture and the arts in shaping the minds of young people in the upcoming generation.
He also lauded the Seventh-day Adventist Church for its adaptable approach to promoting leadership and guidance in a multicultural society.