Village gone, multicultural spirit remains

 

It’s awfully quiet around York Lanes now that the joie de vivre of York is U’s Multicultural Week is over. The village in York Lanes is gone, but the spirit and pride engendered by Multicultural Week remain.

Multicultural Week began on Feb. 10 with a bang – on drums – as students, led by York music student and master drummer Isaac Akrong (above, left), paraded from York Lanes to Central Square and back.

Leonard T. Lombardi (right), president of CHIN Radio/TV International, then took to the main stage in York Lanes and warmly welcomed people to the event. On Feb. 13, President Lorna R. Marsden toured the “village” and personally greeted students at each booth before taking to the main stage to thank the student organizers and members of the many student clubs who participated in Multicultural Week.

 

(Above, President Lorna R. Marsden, right, chatting with volunteers staffing the Multicultural Village booths)

There was tempting cuisine from countries around the world available in The Underground and throughout the three-day week in York Lanes at the booths set up by many of York’s 50-plus student clubs. The York community was also treated to poetry, prayer, martial arts displays and numerous musical acts each day.

Multicultural Week was a colossal undertaking and a colossal success, made possible largely through the vision and dedication of the York is U spirit campaign team, led by Chair Jeremy Greenberg (left) and Multicultural Week Director Heather McKenzie, who organized scores of volunteers.

(Below, right, belly dancer; below, left, participants draped in flags)