Fred Ezeh
Difference in languages, attires, food, dance steps and others, were showcased in Abuja, last week. It was when Cherryfield Nursery and Primary, Abuja, held an event to mark the International Cultural Diversity Day.
The essence was to drive home the message of unity, peace, love and tolerance, which are solutions to global disturbances. Another objective was to expose the children to the cultures of other nations and make them know that there could be differences in languages and culture but the world is still united by the diversity in culture.
There were representations from Egypt, South Africa, Ethiopia, India, Britain and others who are students in the school or friends of the school. Embassy officials and other diplomats that have their children in school were present to appreciate the cultural diversity, celebrate one another and add their voices to the campaign for global peace and unity.
The children were made to represent each of the participating countries in terms of costumes, food, dance steps, languages and other peculiarities of the countries represented.
Proprietress of the school, Agnes Ajenu: “We need to tell our children that there is love and unity in cultural diversity. Failure to let them know now might affect their perception and acceptance of other people from the world especially when they eventually travel out of Nigeria.
“Secondly, we have children from different countries of the world in our school. But we never discriminate against them. We see them as part of us and strongly encouraged them to add value to our system. We really need to start early to teach them how to keep peace, unity and love each other so they could easily adapt in any country of the world.”
Chairman of the school’s board of directors, Emmanuel Ajenu, said: “Some of our children rarely visit their villages to familiarise with their people at home, unlike in the past when parents insisted that their children speak and understand their languages, dress in their native attire and fully represent their tribe. So, this event helps the children understand their cultures better.”
An official of Ethiopian Embassy in Abuja, Stella Jackson, said the event really exposed her and other parents to the fact that there are similarities among different cultures of the world, irrespective of continent or religious beliefs. She encouraged the school to organise such event frequently for the benefit of the future generations.
A parent, Anamauwa Washington Agbaeze, described the event as a unifying factor for the world. He said frequent exposure of younger generations to such an event would help discourage unnecessary violence, xenophobic actions, social vices and make them understand the peace, unity and tolerance to global development.
Some of the children, Chigozirim Onunugbo, Ohunene Kufre and Bebai-Utoruwei Piriwei, alluded to the fact that the event has changed their mindsets and perceptions about some countries. They appealed to the school management to organise such event frequently so they could come closer to the realities of their immediate culture and that of the world.