Over 130 students were invited to participate in the annual A Taste of Home event on March 12th at École Secondaire Notre Dame High School in conjunction with the Central Alberta Refugee Effort (C.A.R.E.). This annual event encourages international students to attend and bring a food dish native to their home country.

Attendees represented seven countries, including Philippines, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Mexico, Syria, Japan, and Canada. There was a rich diversity of food that represented the unique flavours and traditions of students’ home countries, including bicol express, noodles, spring rolls, curries and traditional First Nations food.

“We are proud to showcase the diverse cultures that make up the fabric of École Secondaire Notre Dame High School. Having an event where students are encouraged to celebrate and share a small piece of home with the larger school community is exciting. A Taste of Home a powerful way to demonstrate that we are all brought to together to celebrate our diversity,” said Vice-Principal Mandy Reed, at École Secondaire Notre Dame High School.

“This event helps to encourage people to be welcoming and accepting of others. It encourages people to gather, sit together, speak with one another and become more inclusive in general. It creates more understanding and empathy for people rather than an ‘us vs. them’ mentality,” said Jan Underwood, cultural awareness community educator at C.A.R.E.

-Submitted by École Secondaire Notre Dame High School