Te Tiriti-based Multicultural Day is an informal holiday held on the last Friday of August around New Zealand.
It started four years ago and Dunedin Multicultural Council president Dr Lux Selvanesan said it was a chance for people to learn about other cultures and express their own.
"I’m wearing my traditional costume. I’m Sri Lankan and I’m spreading that to others and trying to learn their culture. I’m trying to learn Greek and te reo. I’m trying to learn my mihi and I have some great friends helping teach me that," he said.
Dr Selvanesan said with New Zealand’s growing immigrant population it was a great way to connect with others.
"Diversity is ever growing, one in five New Zealanders are born overseas and it’s predicted that in five years that number will be one in four. So there’s more diversity in New Zealand and it’s important we celebrate our differences in a united way," he said.
Dr Selvanesan said Multicultural Day was not exclusively for non-Europeans or people with a strong connection to their heritage. He invited everyone to take part.
"I would love for everyone to celebrate. You’re from Europe, South America, everyone has a heritage. It’s good for those who are born overseas and arrived here but also for multi-generational New Zealanders."
For those people who had lost touch with their roots over generations, this was a chance to reconnect, Dr Selvanesan said.
"You might lose touch over generations, lose touch with your culture or your language. So you say to yourself ‘OK, I would like to learn something about my grandfather’s culture or my mother’s culture, to take that opportunity’."
Dr Selvanesan said the day had been around for four years and he hoped in the future Dunedin could have a festival the following Saturday to further spread the message and encourage diversity.
"We would like to have an event called Culture Fest, bringing in various communities and cultures together for performances, food stalls and workshops.
"We planned it about three years ago but haven’t executed it yet as we want to co-design it with local communities rather than just the multicultural council," he said.
