Race Unity Day Sunday 11 March 2012

This year Race Unity Day will be the biggest celebration ever of our multicultural community, according to Evey McAuliffe from the Nelson Multicultural Council.

“Extra funding from the Nelson City Council has enabled us to step the event up a notch and we are bringing in performers of national significance - the Qiao Yi Lion Dance Troupe from Christchurch,” says Evey. “There’s a growing Chinese community in Nelson and it’s nice to be able to celebrate and acknowledge their culture alongside all the others.”

Now in it’s twelfth year the Nelson Multicultural Council Race Unity Day is a day of celebration of our region’s cultural diversity with music, dance, art and interactive activities from many ethnic groups that call Nelson home.

Among the cultures represented at Race Unity Day are Maori, Latino, Irish, French, Indonesian, Easter Island, Nepali Bhutanese, Tahiti and four cultures from Burma (Burmese, Chin, Zomi and Kayan).

Evey says this year the interactive area has been developed to provide opportunities for people to have a hands on experience of something from another culture such as Indianhenna hand painting, Japanese origami, Maori traditional games and Tai Chi.

“The day is not only about celebrating our respective cultural heritage, it’s an opportunity for people to engage and talk with others.”

She suggests people come hungry to the event as there’s also a vast array of ethnic foods on offer.

Race Unity Day 2012 will be held at Victory Square, 11am - 4pm, on Sunday 11th March 2012. Goldcoin donation.

ENDS

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