Growing up with an Italian father and a Māori mother, King’s High School head boy Massimo Pezzuto says he was exposed to cultural differences from a young age.
The school celebrated the 48 different nationalities represented at King’s with an extended lunch hour, food trucks on school grounds, cultural performances and cultural demonstrations.
As a main organiser of the school’s second annual cultural festival yesterday, the 18-year-old year 13 pupil said the smiles on faces of other boys taking part in the festivities made the afternoon occasion worthwhile.
"The world can be seen through so many different eyes, but it’s all the same world we are living in," Massimo said.
"The world has over 3800 diversely rich cultures and to understand each other’s culture ... that is incredibly important."
King’s High School head boy Massimo Pezzuto, who has Italian heritage, tucks into pizza during a celebration of the 48 nationalities represented at the school yesterday. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Japanese-inspired drumming ensemble O-Taiko performed.
Several boys walked the school grounds draped in Palestinian and Syrian flags.
Flags from dozens of countries hung from the school’s balconies.
