The Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Arts Association hosted their annual youth multicultural event at the Caruso Club on Oct. 14.
Dozens of Sudbury youths from all walks of life and cultures gathered Sunday afternoon as the SMFAA continues to build bridges and strengthen the fabric of Sudbury's diverse community.
"We want to bring our students together and help them understand that this is a community and country of many different people from all over the world," said Dr. Remi Ogundim, SMFAA.
"We have heard of some tensions and some altercations within our schools for different reasons, maybe because someone wears a hijab, or are black. We want to bring people together to understand that even though they're new to the country, they're not different from anyone else."
Representatives from different levels of government attended the event, including Greater Sudbury mayor Brian Bigger, Nickel Belt MPP France Gélinas, as well as Greater Sudbury Police Services chief Paul Pedersen.
"Other than the Indigenous people of Canada, we're all immigrants," said Bigger. "My parents immigrated to Sudbury in the early 1950s and I'm second generation. What makes our community such a great place is the diverse people that help make it what it is and I really stand by that statement today."
Pedersen echoed Bigger's sentiments, as the child of parents who immigrated to Canada from Denmark, he stressed the importance of bringing people from different cultures together for events like that hosted by the SMFAA on Sunday.
"It's important for me as the chief of police to be here, I want to acknowledge the community leadership that's here, all levels of government, it means so much when community leaders come together for what's important and inclusivity is definitely important," said Pedersen.
"For me it's really about making everybody and especially reassuring young people that we are an inclusive police department and we use what are called the RICH values and I think if we all lived like this there would be no tensions of any sorts."
The police services RICH values stand for respect, inclusivity, courage to stand up for what's right and against what's and honesty to look at and learn from ourselves.
Those in attendance also heard from a pair of guest speakers - Enrique Paraco who is the city's immigration development officer, and Dr. Angelita Sanchez, an associate professor at the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and consultant for a number of community groups including the child and family centre and Mnaamodzawin Health Services.
Performances were put on by Chinese dancers and the St. Mary's School of Ukrainian Dance.
