UG’s 60th Independence exhibition to run from May 29 – June 5  

As Guyana celebrates its 60th Independence Anniversary, the University of Guyana Library on Friday launched its 60th Independence Anniversary pictorial exhibition, which will run until Friday, 5 June 2026, highlighting the institution’s enduring contributions to national development, education, research, and leadership since the institution was established over six decades ago.

The week-long exhibition is being held in the University of Guyana Library Foyer at the Turkeyen Campus under the theme, “UG – The Soul of the Nation: Our Journey, Evolution and Legacy in Shaping an Independent Nation.”

It showcases the University’s evolution alongside Guyana’s growth as an independent nation. Among the displays are exhibits on the University’s academic and professional excellence, the evolution of its administration, significant milestones and events throughout the institution’s history, and profiles of administrators and leaders who helped shape the University over the years.

The exhibition also features literary displays documenting the institution’s expansion in medicine, engineering, environmental sciences, research, innovation, and community development.

Delivering the featured remarks at the opening ceremony, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Prof. Paloma Mohamed-Martin, highlighted the connection between the University and Guyana’s progress. “The University is not divorced from the nation. In fact, it is the integral, as we like to call it, heartbeat and strategic centre of the nation,” Professor Mohamed Martin said.

She noted that since its establishment in 1963, the University has remained closely tied to Guyana’s aspirations and development agenda. “One could argue that at any point in the nation’s history, the University has inextricably been linked to the fortunes of the country, both in terms of our ability to support the national agenda and also for the national purse to support the University’s aspirations and mandate,” she said.

Prof. Mohamed-Martin explained that the exhibition was conceptualised to encourage reflection on the institution’s own journey and the important role it has played in shaping modern Guyana.

While referencing the writings of some of the University of Guyana’s early visionaries, including Dr Harold Drayton, a Guyanese academic and biologist who was the principal architect behind the establishment of UG, and Professor Winston McGowan, Prof. Mohamed Martin said the institution was always envisioned as a critical pillar of national development and self-determination. She further shed light on the University’s Blueprint 2040, which aims to expand access to higher education and produce graduates equipped to contribute meaningfully to society.

In addition, UG’s Librarian (ag.), Dr Simone Bernard, in her remarks, said the exhibition was designed not only to celebrate Guyana’s Independence Anniversary but also to allow patrons and visitors to reflect on the University’s contribution to nation-building and intellectual development.

She described the University as an institution that has consistently advanced learning, research, and national growth since Guyana attained Independence. “This exhibition celebrates the enduring legacy of scholarship and the transformative power of learning that have shaped generations of students, faculty, and researchers,” she said.

Dr Bernard noted that the exhibition also highlights UG’s critical role in preserving and advancing Guyana’s intellectual heritage while inspiring future generations. She further noted that the library remains central to preserving the University’s history and documenting the nation’s academic and cultural development.

Dr Bernard added that the exhibition demonstrates the importance of safeguarding historical records and connecting present and future generations to the country’s journey.

Meanwhile, Registrar of the University of Guyana, Dr Nigel Gravesande, who chaired the ceremony, described the exhibition as a fitting tribute during Guyana’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. “During these six decades of Guyana’s independence, the University of Guyana, often referred to as the soul of the nation, has been a home for knowledge, discovery, and innovation,” Dr Gravesande said.

He noted that the exhibition highlights “the enduring legacy of scholarship and the transformative power of learning that have shaped generations of students, faculty, and researchers.” The exhibition is a collaboration between the University’s Library and the Department of Events, Conferences and Communication, and is open to the general public free of charge from 9 a.m. to 16:00h daily. (University of Guyana)