Thursday, April 15, 2010

Intercultural Celebration

Co Louth VEC in conjunction with Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) organised their first Intercultural Celebration which was held on Tuesday 16th March 2010 and was open to the general public. The event which was entitled ‘All of Us’ took place on the DkIT campus and was officially launched by the President of the Institute, Mr. Denis Cummins, and the Chairman of the VEC, Cllr. Oliver Tully.

After the opening address the Anderson School of Dance from Portadown kicked off with a lively display of Irish Dancing and this was followed by an eclectic mix of musical talent drawn from a variety of cultures. The concert entitled ‘Ceiliuradh Sinn Le Chéile’ which was attended by several schools and was enjoyed by all.

The event was spread over a wide area of the campus and included colourful exhibitions of arts and crafts from an array of cultures such as African, Nigerian, Chinese and the Travelling Community. VEC students from Tara Education Centre, VTOS, Youthreach Drogheda and Louth Comhhairle Na nOg took an active part in the day by showcasing their crafts and information at a number of stands in the main exhibition hall.

There was something for everyone, with a food fair organised by International students, creative workshops on ‘World Cultures’ for pre-school children and ‘World Dance Performances’ by students from diverse cultures. The dance performances included Irish dancing, Chinese, Scottish, HipHop and Zumba.

The Living History exhibition which featured a working Tinsmith and a Traveller Wagon was very popular and afforded a unique opportunity for visitors to gain an insight into Traveller culture.

This combined venture between Co. Louth VEC and DkIT was deemed to be very successful in its first year and well worth building on in the future. This event further strengthens the link between these two educational institutions.

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