Kamal Prasad Shrestha
Auckland, September 13, 2022
The Auckland-based Nepal Cultural Centre is hosting the Sixth Multi-Ethnic Dance Festival on Saturday, September 24, 2022, at Victory Convention Centre, located at Freemans Bay West.
Established as a charitable, not-for-profit organisation in 2008, the Centre aims to promote Nepalese Culture and encourage the members of the Nepali community to live in peace and harmony, adopting Nepalese Culture.
It also aims to establish strong relations with all ethnic communities in Auckland.
During its past 14 years, the Centre has organised several events that helped New Zealanders to learn the Nepalese culture. The Multi-Ethnic Dance Festival is one of the most important events organised by the Centre.
Thus far, the Centre has organised five festivals with the participation of 56 ethnic communities representing 38 countries. These events have helped to promote our message of Unity in Diversity. The Centre constantly evolves new ways to make the festival more effective and meaningful.
Rich with diversity
Like many cities across the globe, Auckland has a rich and diverse mix of people from various cultural backgrounds. The challenge faced by many cities has been the ways and means of integrating communities while celebrating their unique traditions and cultures.
This has been successfully demonstrated by the Nepali Cultural Centre by hosting the Multi-Ethnic Dance Festival with participants invited from various ethnic backgrounds.
These performers present unique cultural dances, sharing their culture.
Dance is an inseparable part of every culture. As well as large communities, our Festival provides an opportunity for smaller groups such as the Assyrian community to showcase their culture.
Nepal has a long history of promoting diverse ethnic groups that include 92 different languages among the population of about 28 million.
Even today, the rich diversity is celebrated on many occasions through song and dance.
The Multi-Ethnic Dance Festival also supports the charitable work done by the refugee communities, helping them to raise funds through food stalls and other items.
This was done by the Kurdistan Group.
The Fourth Festival 2019
The Fourth Multi-Ethnic Dance Festival held on November 9, 2019, at Victory Convention Centre in Auckland, was unique in terms of activities.
Apart from dancing, several other items including cultural stalls, food stalls, films and a raffle draw with prizes were among the highlights of the Festival. More than 38 ethnic groups from 23 countries and commercial firms attended the festival.
We invite companies, organisations and individuals to support the forthcoming Festival with their sponsorship, volunteering and attendance.
Website: www.nepalculturecentre.co.nz; www.facebook.com/nepaleseculturalcentrenz/
Kamal Prasad Shrestha is President of the Nepalese Cultural Centre New Zealand Inc based in Auckland.
