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We are excited to announce our first-ever Sun West Multicultural Week, which will take place from March 9 to 15, 2025! This initiative is an opportunity for schools to recognize, celebrate, and embrace the diverse cultures that make up Sun West! The aim of the week is to increase understanding, promote inclusivity, and foster friendships among students from various cultural backgrounds.
The Saskatchewan motto is “From Many Peoples Strength” The motto expresses our multicultural heritage, the contribution of the First Nations and Métis cultures, and the key role of immigration in the province. Multiculturalism Week is a time to recognize that this diversity has brought us strength and continues today to bring us strength. Our Youth Consultation Team is proud to celebrate diversity, equity, and inclusion in this first-ever Sun West Multicultural Week and throughout the remainder of the year.
To encourage participation in Multicultural Week, the Youth Consultation Team created the video below.
Schools can participate in ways that best suit their students and community, whether through classroom discussions, school-wide events, or individual projects. Here is a list of ideas to consider as you recognize Multicultural Week and celebrate throughout the year.
Host an international potluck.
You can have students bring in a cultural dish of their choice from home. This activity can be incorporated into a home economics class as a regular class activity for them to research about the culture's food as an inclusive way to learn.
Guest speakers
Invite local community members, newcomers, or cultural organizations from your community into your classrooms to share their experiences about their culture, history, traditional stories, and languages.
Cultural Sports
Organize cultural sports or games. (ex. teach students/staff how to play sports that are related to different cultures. For example: double ball, cricket).
Cultural Songs and Dances
Learn traditional and cultural songs and dances where community members come in and teach students how the song or dance is important in their culture.
Traditional Art
Have examples of cultural art brought to the classrooms or teach students about cultural art styles. Students can also make cultural nametags with the art styles on them (have community members come teach how the art is important to their culture and beliefs).
Multicultural Name Badges
Interested students could be encouraged to create and wear a badge with their name and greeting in their first language or their ancestor’ language.
Cultural Attire
Staff/students could bring or wear cultural clothing or jewelry and share how it represents their culture.
Research Projects
Students can learn more about their own culture and create a product, such as a poster, to showcase and celebrate their cultural background. These creations could be displayed around the school during Multicultural Week or throughout the year, be used a mini-cultural fair, etc.
Share on Sun West Socials
The Youth Consultation Team would love to see what you are doing to recognize and celebrate Multicultural Week in your own schools. Please share to Sun West Socials and with Mike Fedyk at mike.fedyk@sunwestsd.ca during the week and throughout the school year.
What’s Next?
Schools are encouraged to start discussing ideas and planning activities that best fit their school communities. As the Youth Consultation Team continues with this initiative, more information will be shared. If you have any questions or need assistance, the Sun West Youth Consultation Team is here to help! If you have any further questions about Multicultural Week, feel free to reach out to a Youth Consultation Member at your school.
While planning these activities, it is crucial to ensure that all events are conducted respectfully and inclusively. For instance, if organizing a Cultural Fashion Show, encourage students to wear attire representing their own heritage to avoid cultural appropriation. Similarly, when creating name badges with greetings in different languages, provide guidance to prevent misuse or misrepresentation.
Establishing clear guidelines and fostering open discussions about the importance of respect and cultural sensitivity can help prevent inappropriate behavior and ensure a positive experience for all participants.
How Did It Start? The idea for a Sun West Multicultural Week emerged from research conducted by last year's Sun West Youth Consultation Team, which focused on improving school engagement through diversity, equity, and inclusion. Last year’s Communications Committee initially had the idea for a Multicultural Week in Sun West. The Youth Consultation’s Team initial proposals for a Cultural Festival led to the suggestion of a Multicultural Week, which was approved by the Board of Education in January 2025. This year’s team further developed the concept, seeking to establish a rich cultural dialogue within the Sun West School Division. In preparation for the Multicultural Week, our Youth Consultation Team surveyed Sun West students to gather their thoughts on celebrating diversity. Here are some key takeaways:
Survey Insights from Sun West Students:
Participation: The survey was optional for Grade 7 through 12 Sun West Students. The majority of responses came from grades 8 and 10, with fewer from senior grades.
Celebration ideas: Students suggested posters, announcements, events, educational sessions, speakers, more diverse extracurricular activities, and promoting a supportive environment.
Inclusivity Enhancements: Recommendations include ensuring everyone feels included by hosting presentations on inclusivity.
Desired Opportunities: Students expressed interest in more cultural activities such through music, language, dance, drama, cooking, and cultural education.
Multicultural Week Suggestions: Ideas encompassed crafts, traditional games, guest speakers, songs, dances, food events, workshops, entertainment, etc.
Willingness to Share Cultural Performances: While many students were hesitant to present cultural moments at the Sun West Student Leadership Conference due to nervousness, a few expressed interest.
These insights reflect a strong interest in celebrating diversity and provide valuable ideas for activities during Multicultural Week.
To further the Youth Consultation Team commitment to recognizing and celebrating culture in Sun West, Youth Consultation Team member Yevheniia Tarnukha, a Grade 9 students from Biggar Central School 2000 took the initiative to create a Youth Consultation Team logo representing the importance of unity and inclusion within Sun West.
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