Hundreds of people in Ottawa got to experience 72 cultures under one roof as they celebrated the seventh annual World Multicultural Festival on Saturday. The event took place at the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne and allowed attendees to celebrate diversity between various multicultural communities. “We are celebrating cultures. We are celebrating communities. We are supporting local businesses. We are celebrating people. We are celebrating ourselves,” says Gipsy Ghosh, director of the World Multicultural Festival. “We are learning each other’s culture, each other’s Habits, each other’s cuisines.” For festival-goers, the event provided a chance to celebrate culture, learn about different traditions and build respect between communities. “We’re just looking at exploring some different cultures, learning about different countries, seeing all these different things and trying some different foods,” said Candace Woods, who attended the festival with family. “Ottawa is such a diverse, multicultural city,” said Guiselle Barilla, Colombian dancer at the World Multicultural Festival. “It’s so nice to be able to be part of our own culture but to see other people’s cultures and learn from them and see their artistic sides, whether it’s singing, dancing or the products that they’re selling.” The event featured traditional dances and artistic performances from different cultural backgrounds, a fashion show with traditional clothing and authentic foods from numerous regions of the world provided by more than 50 vendors. “Bringing a piece of Nigeria is really important,” said Adeola Peters with clothing vendor Taiwera Fashions. “It just showcases how strong and resilient our country is. It also educates others and brings our African heritage to other communities for them to see.” For festival director Ghosh, the festival is a testament to Canada’s diversity and unity. “It’s a wonderful way to come together and show our unity in diversity in Canada because we are united,” says Ghosh. This family-friendly event has something for the whole family to enjoy, including arts and crafts. The event runs until 9 p.m. Saturday and admission is free.
