Race relations to be celebrated with food

ROBYN EDIE/The Southland Times

EXOTIC VARIETY: Bonsai Restaurant owner Harue Park (left) prepares for the Multicultural Food Festival with George Stewart, Violet Stewart and Annie Jones.

Ten ethnic groups will gather in one place this weekend to promote cultural diversity through food.

The Multicultural Food Festival is being held on Saturday to celebrate Race Relations Day and to teach people about other cultures.

The festival is being organised by Southland Multi-Nations as a way to bring people together from all cultures through a common interest, food.

Multi-Nations co-ordinator Violet Stewart said race relations day was on Sunday, but the celebration was typically held on the closest Saturday.

Last year the day was celebrated with a music and entertainment festival which attracted about 400 people, but this year was a little different in the hope of attracting a wider variety of people, she said.

The festival gave everyone the chance to taste 10 different cultural types of food under one roof so about 2000 people were expected to attend, she said.

This was the first multicultural food festival in Southland to the best of Mrs Stewart's knowledge.

The festival is being held at the Southern Institute of Technology Hansen Hall from 10am until 4pm and entry is free.

It will also include entertainment from different cultures for about 10 minutes every half hour and all food will cost $10 or less.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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