Saturday 24 June 2023
ACAO hosts Multicultural Day in Ottawa
By Joy Osiagwu
The African Canadian Association of Ottawa (ACOA) had a great outing at Vincent Massey Park in Ottawa on Saturday, June 24. The event was about promoting diversity in the community through a Multicultural Festival with people of diverse backgrounds in attendance. They enjoyed the cultural performances, food, and activities for all ages.
President of the Association, Mr. John Adeyefa, commended the team of volunteers and officials for a momentous event, stressing that the association promotes the welfare of African Canadians and the Black Community in the capital region.
Community members were excited to start the summer season. Some saw old friends for the first time after the Covid-19 pandemic; you can imagine the camaraderie. The children were excited to play outside after the winter season.
A hockey Mom (Emem) of three members of the African Hockey Association, (AHA!) a community-led response to diversity in the hockey program of the ACAO, spoke in glowing terms about the privilege to have her children on the team for free. The boys are also grateful for the opportunity provided for parents who do not have the financial means to get their wards to play the game.
Festivals and events are the key avenues for the ACAO to promote Africa’s rich cultural heritage in Ottawa.
As an umbrella organization for the 53 African country associations and ethnocultural groups, ACAO equips and builds the capacities of member organizations to ensure effective and efficient service delivery to the community. Click on the link to watch the video of the sights and sounds of the Multicultural Festival.
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Joy Osiagwu is a Project Officer with Black History Ottawa. She has over two decades of experience as a broadcast journalist in Nigeria and North America. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Cumbria in the United Kingdom, plus a post-graduate diploma in Broadcast Performing Arts from the Columbia Academy, Vancouver, British Columbia.