Kelsey and Samantha share their experiences in the Living Diversity Club

Jien jismni Kelsey Alakkad u s-sena l-oħra hadt sehem fil-grupp tal-‘Living Diversity’.  Ħadna ħafna gost ilkoll flimkien, speċjalment meta kellna xi attivita’.  Aħna tgħallimna dwar ħafna pajjiżi u kulturi differenti.  Dan jghinna biex insiru iktar tolleranti lejn xulxin.  Aħna lgħabna logħba tal-Filippini, sajjarna ħafna ikel minn tradizzjonijiet oħra, għamilna bazaar fuq l-ikel u wkoll morna ‘Chinese Garden’ u għamilna attivita’ hemmhekk.  Darba għamilna reċta u għamilnieha quddiem sħabna.  Morna wkoll l-Universita’ għax kien hemm ġurnata ddedikata għal Kuwait.  Din l-espeprjenza qatt ma ninsiha għax doqna l-ikel tagħhom, ilbisna l-ilbies u l-ġojjellerija u xi ftit minna għamlu l- ‘hennah’.  Din hija zebgħa ta kulur kannella fl-aħmar u tintuża biex jagħmlu disinnji fuq il-ġilda, din mhix permanenti bħal tattoo imma wara xi gimagħtejn titlaq.  Dan il-grupp ser jerġa jibda jiltaqa’ u nħeġiġkom li tiġu.

Hi I am Samantha Seychell and I want to tell you about our club ‘Living Diversity’.  In the Living Diversity we learn about different cultures and how to interact with people from different backgrounds.  Even though some of us are from different countries with different cultures it does not mean that we can’t be friends.

The club does lots of activities.  For example when we went to the University of Malta and some girls got their name written in Arabic on their hand with henna (it is like a tatoo but it goes away).  Also as another activity we went to the Chinese Garden and we looked at the Chinese architecture and ran around the place.

We have lots of fun in living diversity and we look forward for new members in our club.

End of Year Celebration - The Couscous Salad

In our couscous salad each student added a different ingredient to the bowl.  Similarly, in our school each student brings her own cultural heritage into the school community.  The ‘Living Diversity’ encourages students to preserve their own identities while respecting the cultures of others; this enables us to exist alongside each other in harmony.

Diversity Seminar - Form 2 students

The Living Diversity Group together with the four main speakers of the Diversity Seminar

Ms. Amy Camilleri Zahra from Kummissjoni Persuni B’Dizabilita’

Ms. Romina Bugeja from the Islamic Centre

Mr. Mario Gerada from the Drachma, Catholic group for LGBT

Mr. Goitom Yosief from JRS

Remembering the Palestinian 'Nakba'

Enjoying the flavours of Africa

Cooking and tasting the Banana Mandazi.

These "banana fritters" can be found throughout the African continent.

The Kuwaiti Celebrations - February 2013, University Campus

Melek playing a traditional game

Hannah choosing a small henna design

Havana, Nicole and Samantha trying on the beautiful Kuwaiti jewellery

Jodie, Kelsey and Havana dressed in a traditional Kuwaiti costume

Filipino delights

Kelsey and Samantha preparing the Lumpia filling

Nasim, Anthea and Deborah laying out the spring roll wrappers

Spring Rolls are a large variety of filled rolled appetizers.They are very popular in East Asian and Southeast Asian Cuisine.  The kind of wrapper, filling, and cooking technique, as well as the name, vary considerably within this large area.  In our cooking session we used a vegetable mixture made of onions, carrots and cabbage.

Playing 'Pantintero'

'Patintero' is a popular game played by children on the streets, schoolyards and beaches of Philippines.  The game involves a grid drawn on the ground where one team will try to pass through while the opposing team tries to catch them without leaving the grid's lines at all times.  

The Living Diversity Club goes to Egypt through Egyptian music and cuisine.

In our Egyptian music session the students were shown the popular 'darbouka' also known as tablah.  The origin of the term 'darbukka' comes from the Arabic word 'darba' (to strike).  This  goblet drum may be played while held under one arm or by placing it sideways upon the lap.   Some drums are also made with a strap so the drum may be slung over the shoulder  to enable the drummer to dance while playing.   The darbouka sound characterizes many festive occasions in the North African and Eastern countries.

An Egyptian lady is giving the students some tips on how one can play the 'darbouka'.

Nadia's turn to play the darbouka...her friends were amazed at how fast she got the rythm.

After playing the darbouka we tried the 'belly dancing'

To truly taste the Egyptian cuisine one has to try the 'Tamiya'. The tamiya also known as falafel is a deep fried patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans or both.  It is a traditional Arab food usually served in a pita (pocket bread).  

Lailah and Jodie preparing the 'Tamiya' mixture.

Victoria, Kelsey and Zara preparing the salad for today's dish

Melek doing the hardest part...the onion peeling and cutting.

Anthea and Anastasia making the 'tamiya' cakes.

Hager giving a presentation about Egypt and its cuisine.

The Living Diversity Club visits the Chinese Garden

Chinese Calligraphy

A student of Chinese origins demonstrated Chinese Calligraphy to the Living Diversity students.  Each student had the opportunity to draw the beautiful Chinese characters using a painting brush and real Chinese ink. 

Tastes from Around the World - December 2012

The students with different cultural and ethnic backgrounds were invited to prepare a dish of their parent's home country.  They prepared delicious sweets from countries including;  Egypt, Italy, Germany, Libya, Syria and Yemen. There were also savoury snacks from Britain, Canada, China, France, Malta and Philippines.  All food items were sold during break time.  

The cast of the play: 'Rabbit-Proof Fence'.  

After watching the film 'Rabbit Proof Fence' the students decided to make a play out of the film's story.  The play was written and directed by Hager Beshta, a Form 2 student.  The students rehearsed for several weeks during their break times.  On the day of the performance the cast invited several friends to watch.  The audience loved the performance and the play was a success!

Martina and Shehinda interviewing Ms. Borg Orland about her experience with the Aboriginal people of Australia.

The students of the Living Diversity Club watched the film 'Rabbit Proof Fence'.  This film's story is set in Western Australia during the 1930s.  It relates the true story of three girls; Gracie, Molly and Daisy who were forcibly removed from their parents by the Australian authorities.  This film depicts the sufferings of the Aboriginal children and their families during the period between 1909 and 1970.  During this time many Australian Aboriginal children were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State agencies.  These children are often referred to as 'The Stolen Generation'.

Living Diversity

The word ‘diversity’ not only describes our differences but also contains the idea of all of us being equal.  The concept of “diversity” is about differences, but there is also an inherent and inseparable element of equality.  Being different is thus not about exclusion but inclusion. 

If we understand and recognize that each and every one of us is unique and different but at the same time equal then we can conquer our fear of “being different” and learn to appreciate the humanity in every person.

 

• To ‘Live Diversity’ means to create an atmosphere of mutual respect towards people who have different values, beliefs and ways of life.
• To ‘Live Diversity’ means to approach differences with an active curiosity and inquiry to understand the realities of others.
• To ‘Live Diversity’ means to be open and start to learn from each other’s differences. Differences enriches our community.

A garden in order to be attractive it needs to have different flowers with different colours and different sizes ...We are a ‘human garden’ with different cultures and different ways of life and this makes us more attractive, but, in order to achieve that beauty, we have to take care of each individual plant.

DALAI LAMA