<p><strong>Georgetown, Guyana, January 1, 2020</strong> --: The University of Guyana is pleased to announce the dates for its &nbsp;second &nbsp;Diaspora conference which was rescheduled &nbsp;in 2019. The new dates are &nbsp;May 28<sup>th</sup> – June 1<sup>st </sup>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2020. &nbsp;The theme will be &nbsp;“Investing in Guyana’s Emerging Business, Indigenous, Women and Youth Leaders”. This theme has been chosen in recognition of the need for all Guyanese at home and abroad to work together with inclusion, tolerance and cooperation for national and regional growth and development. The University of Guyana remains committed to diaspora engagement and facilitating a positive enabling environment and discussion on ways in which Guyanese &nbsp;can best work together to accomplish joint goals towards creating prosperity for all our people..</p>

<p>This conference will feature a mixture of academic and non-academic experiences and will host a number of panels, forums, roundtables and multimedia presentations on key thematic areas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To meet the challenge of Diaspora Engagement, and to ensure &nbsp;the strategic integrity and sustainability of the University’s Diaspora project, &nbsp;the University of Guyana has appointed Dr. Mellissa Ifill, Lecturer in History at the University of Guyana, and Dr. Wazir Mohamed, a member of the diaspora and Associate Professor of Sociology at Indiana University East, as Co-Chairs of the 2<sup>nd</sup> University of Guyana Diaspora Engagement Conference. In addition the following key individuals from UG and the Diaspora along with others still to be named will play key roles in the planning process for the conference: Gillian Williams (Toronto), Chet Bolling (Moscow), Lear Matthews (New York), Brandon Cheong (Toronto), Adeti DeJesus (Guyana), Mellissa Bess (UG), Arlene McLean (UG), Denise Braam (UG) and Ms. Leisa Somrah (UG). The University’s Transition Management Committee (TMC) will maintain oversight of the project. The TMC wishes to thank the new conference Coordinating Team for their sterling work over the last few months in ensuring an excellent event for 2020.</p>

<p>The University of Guyana also specifically values and welcomes the support from the diaspora, state and non-state actors, &nbsp;government, the private sector, civil society, the public at home and abroad, and all stakeholders as it builds out the project of diaspora engagement . Since, &nbsp;It is a well documented fact, that Diaspora engagement is one of the major building blocks for national development.</p>

<p>Submissions and Registrations will be accepted from January 30, 2020 at the University of Guyana’s Conferences website <a href="http://www.uog.edu/conference">www.uog.edu/conference</a>&nbsp; and also on the Diaspora Conferences dedicated website https://diaspora-entrepreneurship.uog.edu.gy/</p>

<p>Email: ugdiasporaconfernces@uog,edu,gy&nbsp; or call: 592-222-3583.</p>

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<p><strong>About the University of Guyana </strong></p>

<p>The University of Guyana is Guyana’s sole national higher education institution. It was established in April 1963 with the following Mission: “To discover, generate, disseminate, and apply knowledge of the highest standard for the service of the community, the nation, and of all mankind within an atmosphere of academic freedom that allows for free and critical enquiry.”</p>

<p>The University offers certificate, diploma, associate degree, undergraduate degree, graduate (post-graduate) degree, and professional degree programmes. These programmes are delivered through seven Faculties and one School, each of which is headed by a Dean: Agriculture and Forestry; Earth and Environmental Studies; Education and Humanities; Engineering and Technology, Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences; and Social Sciences.</p>

<p>More than 116 under-graduate and post-graduate programmes are available, including Computer Science, Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Studies, Forestry, Urban Planning and Management, Tourism Studies, Education, Creative Arts, Economics, Law, Medicine, Optometry, Supply Chain Management and Nursing. More information on the University of Guyana can be found at <a href="https://uog.edu.gy">https://uog.edu.gy</a></p>
