International Diversity day met with a very colourful celebration at LSME. Students dressed in rich hues and elegant traditional and cultural attires filled the College hall. There were number of stations of eye-catching artifacts and exhibits representing Africa, Asia and Europe setup by the students. The College’s atmosphere had changed to a festival of colours, music, dances depicting a blend and diversity of cultures.
Given the wide representation of cultures and ethinicities at LSME, the College celebrates International Diversity Day on 21st May to mark the United Nations’ World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. The session was opened by the Principal, Dr Sarita Parhi. She expressed her delight and awe to see,
how well students have prepared the event by displaying their beautiful cultural attires and artifacts.
The Chief Research and Innovations Officer, Mr Hassan Shifau, addressed the gathering by highlighting the importance of understanding and respecting different cultures and how it connects to the UN’s Principles of Responsible Management Education initiative.
Following this, the students took floor sharing their cultures and led all present through a journey to their homelands. Some students sang songs, whilst others performed cultural dances. They took turns to explain the meanings and uses of the items they had brought for display .
At the event, many students shared that the event gave them insights into the cultures and countries of their friends
which they had little knowledge of an opportunity to learn about history and lifestyles of different parts of the world. They also observed that while the cultures look different, they seem to have a lot in common. Most importantly, the students found that the event created a fun-filled learning environment of cultures from across the world.
They understood the need to revive cultures for the sake of preserving and protecting our common environment.
The United Nations sanctioned an international day to bridge the gap between cultures to promote development and support communities to understand the value of living together in peace and building stability.
The day has been named World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue, Development and marked on 21st May every year.