When the cultures of the world come together, diversity and inclusion wins. It was a fantastic three colourful days, August 4 – 6, 2018, at Edmonton Hawrelak Park as hundred of thousands of people from cultures across the world shared food, music, exhibitions, arts, and crafts.
In the backdrop of France, Italy, India, China, and other cuisine giants of the world, the Liberian community of Edmonton led by Liberia Friendship Society of Edmonton stood tallest and was voted the best food of the festival by the Heritage Festival Food Committee, followed by Venezuela, and then Eritrea. This led to a rapturous celebration at the Liberian Pavilion when they were presented with the award. So too was the kind of ecstatic celebration in the Syrian Pavilion when they were awarded the mention in the Vignette category. Culture and arts showcase was led by Ukraine, followed by Egypt, and then Israel. The Arab Heritage Pavilion led the race for entertainment.
Liberia and Syria graduated from the Newcomers Pavilion run by the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers whose pavilion is becoming a favourable ground to incubate award winning pavilions. This year, the Newcomers Pavilion was an all African affair with, Senegal, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Ghana. The Newcomers Pavilion was one of the four stops that Alberta’s Premier, Rachel Notley, made at the festival.
Over 71 cultures were showcased from all seven continents with Antarctica joining the world’s largest cultural extravaganza for the first time, represented thanks to Airworks Compressors Corp., an Edmonton-based international company embarking on the first-ever single vehicle and first hybrid vehicle expedition to the South Pole. This will also be the first Canadian-led expedition with Edmontonian Darryl Weflen at the wheel of a modified MXT.
Edmonton Heritage Festival 2018 also attracted other community uniting and fun activities such as; a solar exhibition that supported the Newcomers Pavilion, Edmonton FC display, Edmonton Eskimos area, Australian Football, a short free air balloon ride, and many more. This is a classic way of introducing newcomers, and other new Canadians to sports foreign to them such as Canadian Football, as well as, share the rich and diverse cultures that have gathered in this wonderful city and help make it as homely as it can be. Another wonderful fun edition of inclusion through an event – Edmonton Heritage Festival 2018.
