Youth Cultural Diversity Day

A day of music and connection, with cultures from all over the world represented in one room. A guitar was played in one corner of the room while families moved between booths, activities, and conversations, and laughter could be heard throughout Roundhouse Community Centre.

For VRES, being part of the event was a natural extension of the work we do in the community. We believe that everyone should have opportunities to learn, feel welcome, and connect with the people around them. Youth Cultural Diversity Day created that opportunity in many different ways.

Families explored booths from a wide range of cultural communities. Visitors learned about various histories, traditions, and games while meeting the people behind them.

Bryna, our program manager and Mankirat, a volunteer running LEGO Arts at the VRES booth!

VRES brought LEGO Arts and LEGO Robotics activities that are popular in our camps and programs. Children could build and experiment while their families explored the rest of the event. For some families, the LEGO activities were a familiar way to get involved, while others were discovering VRES programs for the first time.

The BC Mongolian Community kindly brought homemade snacks to share with visitors and introduced people to Mongolian culture while music by The HU played in the background. They were excited to have the opportunity to connect with a broader community and share something meaningful to them.

Raykhon from Mahalla Cultural Centre of Uzbekistan & Friends sharing traditional Uzbek clothing.

Visitors could also see traditional clothing from different communities, including a traditional Uzbek bride outfit and Slovenian dresses. At one point, a member of the Uzbek community started an impromptu dance. It quickly brought more energy into the room as people watched and enjoyed the moment.

One of the VRES activities focused on the guitar and its differing forms in the United States, Spain, and Japan. Participants learned simplified versions of songs connected to each country while hearing about why the songs were chosen. Some people wanted to learn the songs themselves, while others were happy to simply listen. The group was small, but those who participated were interested in both the music and the stories behind it.

Ida from Slovenian Society Vancouver sharing the beauty of Slovenian culture!

Youth Cultural Diversity Day was a celebration of the many cultures and communities that make up our region, but it was also a day of connection. Families and community members were able to share where they came from while discovering something new about the people around them. These moments are a reason to come together and create opportunities to learn from one another.

We are grateful to all of the organizations and communities who helped make Youth Cultural Diversity Day such a warm and meaningful celebration. Thank you to the Canadian Federation of Fiji Organizations, Sundar Film Festival/Sher Pride, BC Black History Awareness Society, BC Mongolian Community, Mahalla Cultural Centre of Uzbekistan & Friends, Vancouver Mikoshi Sakurakai Society, and Slovenian Society Vancouver for sharing your cultures, stories, traditions, and enthusiasm with our community.

Traditional Slovenian outfits.

We would also like to thank Roundhouse Community Centre for providing a welcoming space for everyone to come together. Thank you to everyone who participated! We were grateful to spend the day with so many families and community members and to be part of a celebration that brought people together.