Bhutanese in Australia host multicultural festival
Bhutanese community in Melbourne (Australia) hosted one of the biggest multicultural festivals over the weekend with an objective of promoting Nepali-Bhutanese culture and enhancing cross-cultural harmony and friendship.
The government ministers, local leaders and veteran social workers appreciated the initiation taken by Bhutanese community, who have started resettling only in recent years, in building social cohesion and cross cultural relations in multicultural Australia.
In her message Federal Minister for Multicultural Affairs Kate Lundy appreciated the contribution made by Bhutanese community towards greater Australian society.
“I am particularly proud of your achievements in Australia, settling quickly, and demonstrating a strong will to contribute to Australian society,” she said.
Multicultural minister of the state (Victoria) Nicholas Kotsiras said, “The Victorian Government is proud to support events such as this, which aim to deepen mutual understanding and respect for the different faiths, cultures and traditions that are an integral part of multicultural Victoria.”
Bhutanese initiation to promote multicultural harmony became the issue of discussion in federal parliament as well. In his parliamentary address, Maria Vamvakinou, MP said, “Over the period of time since settling in our local community, the Bhutanese community has adjusted I would say successfully to the Australian way of life. Their participation in our community has progressed now to such an extent that they are themselves in a position to begin making their own unique contribution to the broader community in which they live in and they very happily call home.”
Addressing the event, attended by over 600 people, Nepalese consular general in Melbourne Chandra Yonzon highlighted the close relations between Bhutanese and Nepalese communities in terms of language and culture.
According to Parsuram Sharma-Luitel, out-going president of Bhutanese Organisation of Australia (BOA), participants Karen-Burmese, Assyrian Chaldean, Burundian, African, Italian, Greeks, Kurdish, Indian, Nepalese, Chinese, Vietnamese and others communities presented their cultural performances. Coinciding with two great Hindu festivals Dashain and Tihar, Bhutanese priests and seniors offered tika to visitors and Deusi was played as part of promoting Nepali-Bhutanese culture.
Luitel said events such as this will help preserve Nepali-Bhutanese culture and traditions for the newer generations to come.
The program, organised by BOA, was live broadcast in MN TV, a first Nepali TV channel in Australia.
Published in nepalnews.com