President Ali launches One Guyana Christmas Village & Supermarket 2025

The 2025 One Guyana Christmas Village and Supermarket was officially opened on Friday night with a powerful message of unity, compassion and national pride from His Excellency Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali.

The president reminded Guyanese that the season’s true spirit lies in the strength of community and said, The Village represents more than an annual festive showcase; it is a symbol of togetherness.

“This village is a physical symbol of the closeness, as closeness strengthens community and community strengthens country,” he told the large gathering on Main Street. “Many backgrounds can still form one destiny.”

As families strolled through the beautifully lit pathways and stalls, the President urged citizens to remember that national harmony begins with daily acts of kindness.

“Unity is not automatic. It is a choice we make through respect, patience and kindness,” he stressed. “Nation-building begins with loving each other… let us commit to more trust, more understanding, more compassion.”

He also reminded the nation that unity must be continuous, not seasonal.

“Unity must not be a Christmas emotion. It must be a national standard… because unity delayed is opportunity denied.”

The One Guyana Christmas Village and Supermarket highlights the work of creatives, small manufacturers and local farmers, something the president described as a celebration of Guyanese talent and entrepreneurship.

“Christmas is also a season of giving and our local creators, our entrepreneurs, have given us an extraordinary gift, the gift of Guyanese excellence,” he said.

“When we buy local, we build local,” the president emphasised.

The supermarket, which features only Guyanese-made products, was described as “a marketplace of dreams” where “every product tells its own story of dedication and belief.

“These are more than items, they are expressions of our culture and evidence of our potential… because small businesses create big possibilities,” President Ali said.

He encouraged citizens to choose local this season:
“When you choose local tonight, you’re choosing to uplift a neighbour, strengthen a community and invest in a shared future.”

While the festivities are in full swing, President Ali urged the nation to remain mindful of those in need.

“The vulnerable, the elderly, the differently abled and our children rely on our compassion,” he said. “Their well-being is not charity, it is a duty,” the president noted. [DPI]