Pupils chosen for cultural calendar (From Hillingdon Times)

Pupils chosen for cultural calendar

1:33pm Wednesday 21st November 2007

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ICKENHAM schoolchildren will represent the month of November in a multicultural calendar that will be distributed nationwide next year.

Members of the Schoolfriend Club, based at Brakespear Junior School, were chosen for their interpretation of the festival of Diwali.

Each month of the calendar is represented by a different multicultural event including International Women's Day, the Jewish New Year, Black History Month, the Chinese New Year, Christmas, Islamic New Year, Turkish Children's Day, The Hindu festival of Rakhi (Brother, Sister festival) and Midsummer's Day (celebrated in Northern European countries).

Children at the Schoolfriend Clubs were encouraged to celebrate their chosen multicultural event in a variety of different ways including trying new food, engaging in new activities relating to it, creating artistic designs and costumes portraying it and finally celebrating it in the form of a mini festival.

Phoebe Swan, Arts Coordinator for Schoolfriend etc, who directed the project, said: "Children attending our clubs are from many different religions and cultures and we felt that they should not only learn about diverse multicultural events, but experience them through art, dance, food, drama, photography, singing, role-play and happiness.

Tina, aged 10, from Brakespear Junior School, said: "We had a great time learning about the festival of Diwali and our Play Leader, Devala, taught us about Rangoli and we even had a go ourselves - it looked so beautiful. I am really looking forward to seeing the calendar."

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